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Five fined for intrusion in Gir’s protected zone

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Ahmedabad, June 6: The Forest Department in Gujarat has taken action against five individuals caught attempting to spot lions illegally in the Kodiya Vedma area of the Khambha Tulsishyam range in Dhari Gir East.

According to officials, forest patrol teams intercepted a car late at night on June 5 in the protected Kodiya VD zone.

The group, which included two individuals from Bhavnagar and three from Khambha, had entered the restricted area without permission in an attempt to sight lions.

Acting under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, the Department imposed a fine of Rs 90,000 on the offenders. A formal case has also been registered against them.

Illegal lion sightings in the Gir forest region have become a growing concern, with such intrusions not only endangering wildlife but also violating the core principles of conservation.

Officials warned that strict legal and financial penalties will continue to be enforced against anyone disrupting the natural habitat or endangering the safety of both animals and people.

The Forest Department has reiterated its appeal to the public to avoid unauthorised wildlife excursions and support the ongoing efforts to protect the Asiatic lion population in the Gir forest. Illegal lion sightings and unauthorised safaris have become an increasing concern in Gujarat, particularly in and around the Gir National Park – the only natural habitat of Asiatic lions.

Over the past few years, forest officials have recorded multiple incidents of individuals and groups entering restricted areas for lion sightings, often during late hours and without permits.

In January 2023, eight people were caught conducting an illegal lion show in the Babariya range of Gir West and were fined a total of Rs 1.2 lakh under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

In another case from February 2022, a group of tourists from Surat was booked for entering a protected forest zone in the Amreli district and attempting to provoke a pride of lions for social media videos.

Similarly, in 2021, a local in Junagadh was arrested for organising a paid “lion show” for private guests, a case that led to increased surveillance by the Forest Department.

Crime

Mumbai Police Busts Fake Apple Accessories Racket In Ghatkopar, ₹16.33 Lakh Goods Seized; Six Booked

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Mumbai: In a major crackdown on the sale of counterfeit branded goods, Mumbai Police have dismantled an organised racket dealing in fake Apple accessories in Ghatkopar East, seizing products worth Rs. 16.33 lakh and booking six shopkeepers in the case.

The action was carried out by a team from Pant Nagar police station following a specific tip-off about the sale of duplicate mobile accessories in the Patel Chowk and Nilyog Mall areas. Acting swiftly, police officials devised a coordinated plan and split into six teams to conduct simultaneous raids at multiple locations.

During the operation, authorities raided six shops where a large quantity of counterfeit products was recovered. The seized items included mobile chargers, adapters, USB cables, phone covers, back panels, earphones, AirPods and batteries, all falsely branded as products of Apple Inc. Officials said the items were near-identical replicas designed to mislead customers into believing they were purchasing genuine goods.

To verify the authenticity of the products, representatives from Apple Inc. were present during the raids. Using technical expertise and specialised identification techniques, they confirmed on the spot that all the seized items were counterfeit.

The report also said that the accused had been sourcing these fake products at significantly lower prices and selling them at inflated rates under the Apple brand name. Police said the shopkeepers were illegally using Apple’s logo and product designs without authorisation, thereby deceiving customers and violating intellectual property rights.

Based on the findings, cases have been registered against all six accused under Sections 51 and 63 of the Copyright Act, The seized goods have been confiscated and sent for further forensic examination as part of the ongoing probe.

Police officials stated that this operation is part of a broader drive to curb the circulation of counterfeit branded goods in Mumbai. They added that further investigations are underway to trace the supply chain and identify other individuals linked to the racket.

Authorities have reiterated their commitment to taking strict action against such illegal activities and warned traders against dealing in counterfeit products.

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Crime

Mumbai: St Xavier’s College Receives Bomb Threat; No Explosives Found

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Mumbai: St Xavier’s College in Mahim, Mumbai, received a bomb threat on Tuesday, said the official.

According to the Mumbai police, St Xavier’s College in Mahim, Mumbai, received a bomb threat. Nothing suspicious was found by the police, and they believe this is primarily a hoax threat.

The police are taking appropriate action and investigating.

More details awaited.

This comes after a series of bomb threats earlier this week caused panic across the city.

On Wednesday, threat emails were received at multiple locations, including the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), Vidhan Bhawan, and the High Court.

Police, including the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) team, are present on the scene, officials said on Wednesday.

According to the Mumbai police, threat mail has been received at BSE, Vidhan Bhawan and the High Court this morning.

“Adequate security measures have been taken and are in place. Necessary legal action is being taken at the respective police stations,” Mumbai Police said.

On March 8, a hospital in Mumbai received a bomb threat via email, claiming that an “LED blast” would be carried out on the premises.

The email sparked significant panic among patients and staff.

In response, the Mumbai Police’s Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) conducted a thorough inspection of the hospital.

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Crime

Mumbai Shocker: Husband Pushes Wife To Death In Front Of Running Local Train At Mulund Station; Arrested

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Mumbai: A 42-year-old man, who was captured on CCTV, while pushing his wife before a running local train owing to marital discord, has been arrested in Surat. The accused, Rajukumar Gupta, an electrician, went absconding with his younger son after pushing Pushpa, 36, to her death on the morning of March 14. Hours before the incident, the victim had even lodged a police complaint.

According to victim’s brother Kamlesh Kumar Gupta, 30, who is a soldier, the couple had frequent quarrels and hence he had come to take his sister and his elder nephew, 15, back to their UP native. In his complaint to the Kurla GRP, Kamlesh, who lives in UP, said that on March 14, when they were set to go to UP, Rajukumar and Pushpa again had an argument, prompting the latter to approach the police. Kamlesh said that subsequently, he, Pushpa and her 15-year-old son reached the Mulund station.

However, he realised that he had forgotten his Army ID card at Rajukumar’s house. Hence, he along with his nephew went back, however, an enraged Rajukumar locked the duo inside the house. The accused then arrived at the Mulund station, where he saw his wife standing on platform 1. He pushed her in front of a running local train and fled, said the FIR.

Commuters alerted the station master, following which the railway authorities rushed Pushpa to a government hospital, where she was declared dead. Kamlesh said that he somehow managed to alert neighbours, who helped open the door.

Police said the CCTV footage from the station has captured the incident. Based on the complaint, the Kurla GRP has registered an FIR against Rajukumar under section 103 (punishment for murder) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

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