Mumbai: A four-year-old girl tragically died after accidentally falling headfirst into a water-filled bucket at her home in Malad East. The incident occurred on August 19, when her family was collecting water during the limited supply hours. She was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared her dead. The Dindoshi police have registered a case of accidental death.

Police Note Child Had Mental Health Condition

The deceased, identified as Akriti Yadav, lived with her parents and two siblings in Rajiv Gandhi Nagar, Malad East. Her parents work as daily wage labourers. According to the police, Akriti had a mental health condition.

On the morning of the incident, Akriti’s parents and relatives woke up early to store water in buckets, tubs and drums. Sometime later, Akriti woke up, walked towards one of the buckets, and accidentally toppled in headfirst. A family member noticed her legs protruding from the bucket and immediately raised an alarm.

Gadchiroli (Maharashtra): The Maharashtra Police registered a case against former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav for allegedly posting defamatory and socially divisive remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media. The First Information Report (FIR) was filed at Gadchiroli police station on Friday following a complaint by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Milind Ramji Narote.

Tejashwi’s Controversial Post Alleging PM Modi Is A Liar

Narote, who represents the Gadchiroli Assembly constituency, stated in his complaint that some party workers drew his attention to certain posts on Yadav’s official X account (@yadavtejashwi). According to him, the posts accused Prime Minister Modi of being a ‘liar’ and making false promises. The complaint further mentioned that one of the posts included a song ridiculing the Prime Minister, with lyrics claiming he ‘lies morning and evening.’

The BJP legislator said he personally verified the posts before approaching the police. He alleged that Yadav’s remarks were not only defamatory but also derogatory and socially divisive. “Such propaganda has caused resentment among sensible citizens of Gadchiroli and is aimed at disturbing peace and harmony,” the MLA said in his statement. Narote also accused Yadav of repeatedly making such comments on social media, arguing that the conduct amounted to a criminal act. To support his claims, he submitted screenshots of the posts as evidence.

Based on the complaint, police booked Yadav under several provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). These include Section 196(1)(a), which pertains to the use of words, signs, or digital communication that promote hatred or ill-will, and Section 196(1)(b), which covers acts prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony.

He was also charged under Section 356(2), relating to derogatory statements against the government intended to cause public mischief, and Section 356(3), which deals with repeated instances of such remarks. Additionally, Sections 352 and 353(2) were invoked, concerning attempts to spread disharmony or hatred through speech, writing or digital media. While police have confirmed that the FIR has been lodged, there has been no immediate reaction from Tejashwi Yadav or his party, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).

Mumbai: A sessions court has acquitted Salman Shaikh, 27, and Mohammad Jahid Shaikh, 32, in the July 2018 murder case of Nasreen Shaikh, 20, at Oval Maidan, citing insufficient evidence. The court criticised the prosecution for failing to provide eyewitnesses or establish a motive, despite the incident occurring in a public space.

Two Arrested in 2018 Oval Maidan Murder Acquitted

Salman, a food delivery worker, and his friend Mohammad were arrested in July and August 2018, respectively, for the murder of Nasreen, with whom Salman was in a relationship. The prosecution alleged that the duo stabbed Nasreen multiple times at Oval Maidan on July 31, 2018, and disposed of her body and phone at the site. However, the court found the evidence lacking, leading to their acquittal.

According to the prosecution, Nasreen, a cafe worker in Colaba, left home at 8am on July 30, 2018, but did not return. Her father, Umar, contacted Salman, who had reportedly met Nasreen that day after picking her up from the café. When Nasreen remained missing, Umar attempted to file a missing person complaint on July 31, first at Mumbra police station, which redirected him to Colaba, and then to Azad Maidan police station. While walking from Colaba to Azad Maidan, Umar spotted a body in Oval Maidan’s garden, identifying it as Nasreen’s by her pink shoes. She had succumbed to multiple stab wounds, and a murder case was registered.

The prosecution claimed Salman stabbed Nasreen during an argument at Oval Maidan, motivated by her discovery of his marital status, financial disputes, and his suspicions about her. They relied on CCTV footage showing the couple together and testimonies from Nasreen’s family to establish motive. However, the court dismissed these claims, noting significant flaws.

Court Flags Delayed Statements, Doubts Motive

The court observed that statements from Nasreen’s mother and sister were recorded 15 and 18 days after the incident, respectively. “Such a delay suggests that the investigator may have summoned them later, possibly to manufacture a motive,” the court remarked. It also questioned the recovery of the alleged murder weapon, a knife, noting it was found in an open place, raising the possibility of planting.

Further, the court highlighted the absence of eyewitnesses despite Oval Maidan being a busy public space. “Perhaps there may have been eye-witnesses to the said offence, but none was found. This itself shows that no incident took place. The lack of any corroboration strongly suggests no incident occurred,” the court stated.