Crime
Dabholkar case: Court to frame charges against 5 Sanatan Sanstha activists
A Pune special court on Tuesday ordered framing of charges against five members of the right-wing Sanatan Sanstha, and the main accused in the sensational killing of rationalist Dr Narendra Dabholkar eight years ago.
Dabholkar, 67, who spearheaded the country’s anti-superstition movement under the banner of the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (MANS), was shot dead on August 20, 2013, by two unknown motorcycle-borne attackers while he was on a morning walk near the Omkareshwar Temple.
Special Judge S.R. Navandar of the Special UAPA Court said that the charges shall be framed against four of the five accused for murder and terror under the Indian Penal Code, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, besides the Arms Act.
Dr Virendrasingh Tawade, Sachin Andhure, Sharad Kalaskar, and Vikram Bhave will face charges for hatching conspiracy to murder, murder and under the provisions of the IPC and the UAPA.
The fifth accused, lawyer Sanjeev Punalekar will face charges of destroying of evidence, and the matter has been kept for further hearing on September 15, when the actual charges shall be framed, said Special Judge Navandar.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which took over the case from the Pune police in 2014, has filed a charge sheet long back against the five accused.
After arresting ENT surgeon Tawade in June 2016, the CBI filed its charge sheet against him in September that year, contending he had masterminded the conspiracy to eliminate Dabholkar.
Two years later, in August 2018, the CBI nabbed two more Sanatan Sanstha activists Andhure and Kalaskar and the agency filed its supplementary charge sheet against them in February 2019, naming them as the duo who shot the rationalist.
In May 2019, the CBI arrested Mumbai lawyer Punalekar and his associate Bhave, both connected to the Sanatan Sanstha and filed its charge sheet against them in November 2019 in the same case.
While Punalekar was accused for having ordered the destruction of evidence like the firing weapons, the CBI said Bhave had conducted a recce of the murder spot where Dabholkar was killed, planned the escape route for the assailants and other aspects.
Tawade, Andhure and Kalaskar are in judicial custody in Pune, Kolhapur and Mumbai jails, respectively, while Punalekar and Bhave are on bail.
Crime
Telangana Minister condemns attack on Allu Arjun’s house
Hyderabad, Dec 23: Telangana’s Minister for Roads and Buildings and Cinematography Komatireddy Venkata Reddy on Monday condemned the attack on the house of Tollywood actor Allu Arjun.
The minister took to ‘X’ to condemn the attack on Allu Arjun’s house in Hyderabad by a group of persons on Sunday over the Sandhya Theatre stampede issue.
“I strongly condemn the attack on the house of film actor Allu Arjun. There is no room for physical attacks in a democracy. No one should act in a way that disrupts peace and order. The matter related to the Sandhya Theatre incident is in court. The law will take its course,” the Minister posted.
Earlier, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy also condemned the attack on the actor’s house. He directed the Director General of Police and City Police Commissioner to take strict action to maintain law and order. He made it clear that no laxity would be tolerated in this regard.
The Chief Minister also asked senior officials to prevent police personnel who are not connected with the investigations into the Sandhya Theatre incident from speaking on the issue.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Vishnu Murthy, was suspended recently following allegations of corruption, Sunday addressed a press conference about the December 4 incident at Sandhya Theatre. He accused Allu Arjun of lacking a basic understanding of the law and also targeted the film industry for criticizing the police department.
Taking serious note of the suspended police official’s action, top officials initiated disciplinary action against him.
Akshansh Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Central Zone, said in a statement that Vishnu Murthy conducted the press meeting without obtaining prior permission from higher authorities or intimating any senior officer. “This action is a clear violation of disciplinary norms. We are forwarding a report against Sri Vishnu Murthy to the Director General of Police (DGP) for initiating disciplinary action. The DGP’s office will investigate this matter and take necessary action,” he said.
“We reiterate that such actions will not be tolerated, and necessary disciplinary measures will be taken against those who violate the conduct rules,” the DCP said.
Vishnu Murthy was previously working as the DSP Task Force at Nizamabad, and later attached to the DGP Office on allegations and subsequently suspended in October 2024.
Crime
Three Khalistani terrorists who bombed Punjab Police posts killed in encounter in UP
Pilibhit (Uttar Pradesh), Dec 23: Three criminals accused of hurling a grenade at police posts in Punjab’s Gurdaspur were killed in an encounter with police in Uttar Pradesh’s Pilibhit early Monday morning, a senior police officer said.
Punjab Police DGP Gaurav Yadav, while sharing details on social media platform X, stated, “In a major breakthrough against a Pak-sponsored Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) terror module, a joint operation by UP Police and Punjab Police led to an encounter with three module members who fired at the police party. This terror module is involved in grenade attacks at police establishments in border areas of Punjab.”
He said that the three suspects were involved in the grenade attack on a police post in Gurdaspur.
Pilibhit Superintendent of Police (SP) Avinash Pandey reported that the gunfight occurred in the Puranpur police station area between the suspected Khalistani terrorists and a joint team of Punjab and Uttar Pradesh Police.
The injured suspects, identified as Gurvinder Singh, Virendra Singh, and Jasanpreet Singh, sustained injuries and were taken to a hospital for treatment.
Authorities recovered two AK-series rifles, two Glock pistols, and a large quantity of ammunition from the scene.
“Early this morning, a team from Punjab Police informed Puranpur police station that suspects in a grenade attack on a police post by alleged Khalistani terrorists might be hiding in the area,” SP Pandey said.
Upon receiving this information, police teams immediately launched a blockade and searched the area. They later received a tip-off about three suspicious young men on a motorcycle, riding dangerously and carrying potentially harmful items, heading toward Pilibhit.
“Both Punjab Police and Puranpur police station staff chased the suspects. Meanwhile, Gajrola and Madhav Thanda police stations were alerted about possible escape routes. At a canal track near an under-construction bridge, the suspects opened fire when challenged by the police. In the retaliatory firing, all three were injured and subsequently sent to CSC Puranpur for treatment,” Pandey said.
However, they later succumbed to the injuries.
Recently, multiple explosions targeted police posts in Gurdaspur. On Thursday, a grenade was hurled at the closed Bakshiwal police post.
A day later, another explosion occurred at the closed Wadala Bangar police post, which had also recently shut down due to staff shortages.
Residents in nearby areas reported being shaken by the blasts. At Wadala Bangar, frightened locals emerged from their homes at night only to discover the sound originated from the police station. Following the explosion, police vehicles patrolled the area throughout the night, with sirens blaring.
Crime
At least 18 killed in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza
Gaza, Dec 21: At least 18 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes on the central and northern Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian sources.
Local sources and eyewitnesses reported that Israeli warplanes targeted an apartment in the multi-story “Yaffa” tower in the al-Nuseirat camp, located in central Gaza.
A statement from Al-Awda Hospital in the camp confirmed that eight people were killed and 14 others injured, some seriously, in the attack.
In northern Gaza, Israeli shelling struck a house belonging to the “Khilla” family in Jabalia Al-Balad, killing 10 people and injuring several others, according to the Gaza Strip’s Civil Defence.
The Israeli army has not commented on these incidents.
Also on Friday, the military wing of Hamas, Al-Qassam Brigades, announced that one of its fighters had carried out a suicide attack targeting an Israeli force of six soldiers in Jabalia refugee camp, northern Gaza.
The Israeli army has not issued a comment on this incident.
Earlier on Thursday at least 16 Palestinians were killed by Israeli bombings in northern Gaza, the Palestinian official news agency WAFA reported.
At least 10 people were killed on Wednesday night and some others injured when the Israeli aircraft bombed the house of the Al-Najjar family in the town of Jabalia, WAFA said.
Six more people were killed due to Israeli bombing on the house of the Al-Zaytouniya family near the Al-Tabi’in School in the Al-Daraj neighborhood, east of Gaza City, it added.
The Israeli army has not commented on these incidents.
Israel has been conducting a large-scale offensive against Hamas in Gaza in retaliation for the October 7, 2023 Hamas assault on southern Israel, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 250 hostages taken.
As of Friday, the Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks in Gaza has risen to 45,206, according to Gaza-based health authorities.
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