Connect with us
Saturday,30-August-2025
Breaking News

Crime

Maha Shocker: Nine kin of two brothers’ families commit suicide

Published

on

 In a chilling incident, at least nine members of two brothers’ families allegedly consumed poison and ended their lives in Mhaisal village near Miraj, police said here on Monday.

The deceased included a veterinarian and his brother, a school teacher, their mother, their respective spouses and children, as nine bodies were recovered from their neighbouring homes.

The motive behind the drastic step and the kind of toxic substance they consumed are not known immediately, and more details are awaited.

The deceased have been identified as Akkatai Yelappa Vanmore, her son veterinarian Manik Y. Vanmore, his wife Rekha, their daughter Pratima and son Aditya, plus members of the other son’s family of schoolteacher Popat Y. Vanmore, his wife Rekha and their daughter Sangeeta and son Shubham, according to officials.

The news of the alleged mass suicide spread like wildfire with scores of shocked people rushing to the homes in Ambika Nagar area of the village.

Top police officers, including Sangli Superintendent of Police Dikshitkumar Gedam, Mhaisal police inspector Chandrakant Bendre and others rushed to the spot to investigate the matter.

The bodies have been sent for autopsy and other procedures, the police said.

This is considered the second biggest macabre incident of its kind in Maharashtra after the Kasarvadavli case in Mira Road, Thane, in which an accountant, Hasnain Anwar Warekar, sedated and killed 14 of his family members before killing himself.

Seriously injured Sabia Y. Bharmal (22) was the sole survivor of the domestic carnage of 2016, which remained in the spotlight for months.

Crime

Bihar: Nine Years After Journalist Rajdev Ranjan’s Murder, CBI Court Convicts Three And Acquits Three Accused In Siwan Case

Published

on

Patna: Nine years after the murder of senior journalist Rajdev Ranjan in Bihar’s Siwan, the Special CBI Court in Muzaffarpur on Saturday convicted three accused while acquitting three others.

On May 13, 2016, Rajdev Ranjan, then bureau chief of a leading Hindi daily, was shot dead in Siwan.

He was returning from a hospital visit when assailants opened fire, hitting him with two bullets that proved fatal on the spot.

His wife, Asha Yadav, lodged the FIR at the Siwan Town police station, and suspicion soon pointed towards jailed RJD strongman and former Siwan MP Mohammad Shahabuddin, though charges were later framed against other accused.

The case was later taken over by the CBI, which filed a chargesheet against seven accused, excluding Shahabuddin.

Shahabuddin, considered the main accused, died during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The trial involved six accused – Azharuddin alias Laddan Mian, Rohit Kumar Soni, Vijay Kumar Gupta, Sonu Kumar Gupta, Rajesh Kumar, and Rishu Kumar Jaiswal.

Another accused was declared a juvenile, with his case being heard separately.

After nearly eight years of proceedings, during which the CBI examined 69 witnesses and presented 111 pieces of evidence, District and Additional Sessions Judge-3 Namita Singh delivered the judgment.

As per the judgement, Azharuddin alias Laddan Mian, Rajesh Kumar and Rishu Kumar Jaiswal were acquitted while Vijay Kumar Gupta, Sonu Kumar Gupta and Rohit Kumar Soni were found guilty.

Defence lawyer Sharad Sinha told reporters that the court acquitted three accused due to lack of evidence, while the remaining three were found guilty of the journalist’s murder.

The high-profile case, once linked to Shahabuddin’s political clout in Siwan, was initially heard at the Special Court (MP/MLA cases) in Patna before being shifted to the CBI Court in Muzaffarpur.

The sentencing of the three convicted accused is expected in the coming days.

Continue Reading

Crime

Virar Building Collapse: 5 People Arrested In Connection With Case; Probe Handed Over To Crime Branch

Published

on

Palghar: The investigation into the collapse of the Ramabai building in Virar, which claimed 17 lives earlier this week, has been handed over to the Crime Branch Unit 3.

Initially, builder Nittal Gopinath Sane (48) was arrested in connection with the case. Following further inquiry, police have also taken into custody Shubhangi Bhoir (38), Sandhya Patil (35), Surendra Bhoir (46), and Mangesh Patil (35) — the daughters and son-in-law of the late landowner Parshuram Dalvi. All five accused are scheduled to be produced before the Vasai Sessions Court on Saturday.

According to investigators, Dalvi had entered into an agreement with developer Sane for the construction of the building between 2008 and 2011. In 2020, the municipal corporation had issued a notice citing the need for repairs. Officials have confirmed that the structure was illegal.

On Tuesday, tragedy struck when the building collapsed, killing 17 residents and leaving several others injured. The probe is focusing on negligence, accountability of the landowners, and the role of the developer in the unauthorized construction.

Continue Reading

Crime

Uttar Pradesh Cyber Fraud: 100-Year-Old Ex-Merchant Navy Officer Duped Of ₹1.29 Crore In ‘Digital Arrest’ Scam; Case Registered

Published

on

Lucknow: At 100 years of age, Hardev Singh had lived through wars, seen India’s independence, and spent a long career in the Merchant Navy. But nothing prepared him for the ordeal he faced last week in his own home in Lucknow, when a group of cyberfraudsters held him under what police describe as “digital arrest” for six straight days.

The nightmare began when Singh picked up a call from an unfamiliar number. On the other end were men posing as officers of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). They accused him of being linked to a money laundering case and warned of dire consequences if he did not cooperate.

What followed was psychological captivity. Singh was ordered to stay on the call constantly, cut off from the outside world, unable to tell anyone what was happening. The callers directed him to remain isolated while they demanded details about his finances.

The deception deepened when Singh’s son returned home and learned of the situation. Hoping to shield his father from further harassment, he took over the call. But the fraudsters threatened him too, insisting that money must be transferred to several bank accounts for “verification.” They promised that every rupee would be returned once checks were complete.

Fearful and under pressure, Singh’s son complied, transferring ₹1.29 crore in multiple installments. The promised refunds never came. It was only then that the family realized they had been the victims of a sophisticated cybercrime operation.

The ordeal ended with a complaint to the national cybercrime helpline (1930), after which a case was registered at Sarojini Nagar police station. Investigators are now tracking the fraudsters using the mobile numbers and bank details shared by the family.

Police officials say cases of “digital arrest” are on the rise, with scammers using fake identities of enforcement agencies to intimidate victims. Elderly people, often more trusting of authority, are particularly vulnerable.

For Singh, the experience has left scars beyond the massive financial loss. “They stole our peace of mind more than the money,” a family member said. “My father spent a century building a life, only to be tricked in his twilight years.”

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Advertisement

Trending