Sabarimala: SC declines urgent hearing on contempt plea against authorities

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January 3, 2019

The Supreme Court on Thursday refused urgent hearing of a contempt petition moved by two women against Chief Priest of Sabarimala temple and its authorities for closing the shrine after two females of menstruating age group entered it, breaking a centuries-old tradition.

A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice S K Kaul said that the contempt petition will be heard along with the pending review petitions against the September 28 apex court verdict which allowed women of all age groups to enter the temple.

“We cannot constitute a separate bench for hearing the contempt petition,” the bench said, adding that the contempt petition will be heard on January 22 along with pending review petitions.

Advocate P V Dinesh, appearing for petitioners Varsha and Geena Kumari, told the bench that the temple authorities closed the shrine on Wednesday for purification after the women entered it.

The apex court had last September allowed the entry of women of all age groups into the temple.

Bringing to the notice of the court, yesterday’s events Dinesh requested for early listing of the contempt petition filed on November 16 against the chief priest and other temple authorities alleging that women were being not allowed to enter Sabarimala temple despite the apex court’s verdict.

On Wednesday, two women of menstruating age group had stepped into the Sabarimala temple of Lord Ayyappa, breaking a centuries-old tradition and defying dire threats from the Hindu right.

Kanakadurga, 44, and Bindu, 42, stepped into the hallowed precincts guarded by police three months after the apex court’s historic judgement lifting the ban on entry of girls and women between 10 and 50 years of age into the shrine of Lord Ayyappa, its “eternally celibate” deity.

Following the entry of the women into the shrine, the chief priest had decided to close the sanctum sanctorum of the temple in order to perform the ‘purification’ ceremony.

Despite the Supreme Court’s historic ruling on September 28 last year, permitting women in the 10-50 age group, no children or young women in the ‘barred’ group were able to offer prayers at the shrine following frenzied protests by devotees and right-wing outfits.

Man booked for duping job aspirants of Rs 23.7 lakh

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January 3, 2019

A 40-year-old man has been booked for allegedly duping 12 people of Rs 23.7 lakh on the pretext of providing them jobs in Maharashtra, police said on Thursday.

The accused, identified as Naresh alias Bandya Surve, told a woman job aspirant residing in his neighbourhood in the Wagle Estate area that he was working in the state secretariat and promised that he could arrange a job for her, Thane police spokesperson Sukhada Narkar said.

For this, he demanded Rs 2.1 lakh from the woman, who claimed to have paid it in installments, she said.

The woman later informed about the employment prospects to some other job aspirants, who also approached the accused and paid him money, the official said.

The accused collected Rs 23.7 lakh from around 12 people on the false promise, Narkar said, adding that he later told the victims that he had got transferred to the district collectorate.

However, when the victims did not get jobs and approached the collectorate to enquire about him, they were informed by authorities that no such person was employed there, Narkar said.

The woman victim subsequently filed a complaint at the Shree Nagar police station on Wednesday evening.

A case was registered and a probe was on, Narkar said, adding that no arrest was made so far.

Vaishno Devi footfall in ’18 highest in 5 years

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January 3, 2019

The Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir has recorded the highest arrival of pilgrims in the past five years, with nearly 86-lakh devotees visiting the temple in 2018.

There has been an increase of more than four-lakh pilgrims last year when as many as 85,86,541 pilgrims visited the cave shrine as compared to 81.78 lakh the preceding year. The number of pilgrims in 2016 was 81.73 lakh, officials of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board said.

The arrival of pilgrims in the shrine, located in Reasi district, is the highest in the past five years. It had dropped from 93.24 lakh in 2013 to78.03 lakh in 2014, and further to 77.77 lakh in 2015 and 77.24 lakh in2016, the officials added.

In 1986, when the board took over the affairs of the shrine for better management, the annual footfall was around 14 lakh. Since then, there has been a steady increase every year, with the number of pilgrims touching an all-time high of 1.05 crore in 2012, the board officials said.

HC allows minor rape victim to terminate her 24-week pregnancy

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January 3, 2019

The Bombay High Court on Thursday allowed a 14-year-old rape victim to terminate her 24-week pregnancy.

A division bench of Justices B P Dharmadhikari and Revati Mohite-Dere noted that the pregnancy was allegedly the result of a rape, and hence the anguish caused by such a pregnancy may lead to a grave injury to the girl’s mental health.

The girl had approached the court in December last year seeking permission to terminate her then 22-week pregnancy.

The high court on December 26 directed that a panel of doctors from the state-run J J Hospital in Mumbai should examine her and submit a report on whether the termination of pregnancy was advisable.

Passing its order on Thursday, the court took note of the medical report which said that the pregnancy could be terminated.

Under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, abortion beyond 20 weeks of pregnancy is prohibited. The act provides for constitution of committees to look into cases where the pregnancy beyond this period is sought to be terminated.

However, as the state government has not formed these committees so far, women have to move the high court in such cases.

The girl had lodged a complaint with the suburban Mankhurd police on December 1 last year alleging that she was raped by a man living in her neighbourhood.

The accused was subsequently arrested for rape under the Indian Penal Code as well as the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Disappointed that I threw my wicket, Mayank Agarwal on missing maiden ton

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January 3, 2019

India opener Mayank Agarwal was livid with himself after squandering a golden opportunity to score a maiden Test hundred on day one of the fourth Test but hopes to quickly learn from mistakes in his fledgling career.

Agarwal scored 77 runs while Cheteshwar Pujara scored his 18th Test hundred as India finished at 303-4 at stumps. They put on 116 runs for the second wicket, setting a platform for the rest of this Test. The Karnataka opener had made 76 and 42 in his debut Test in Melbourne.

“I am quite disappointed for missing out on a big score. With that said, it’s a learning curve. If I don’t make this mistake again, it will be a good learning. I was looking to dominate Nathan Lyon and it didn’t work out. Really disappointed that I threw my wicket,” he said on Thursday.

India lost KL Rahul early and the duo faced a testing spell of short bowling from the Australian pacers. Agarwal said that their focus was on building partnerships, and he was talking with Pujara for the same throughout.

“Recently I faced such short bowling from New Zealand-A side (in New Zealand). They also came very hard, but to be really honest, I think the Australian pace bowling attack came really, really hard. They bowled quick bouncers and they were sharp. They were consistent and didn’t give anything away,” he said.

“The plan was always to get a small partnership after each wicket and that’s the same thing we spoke about. We said to each other that let’s try to play close to the body and not give them wickets. Even if we are not getting too many runs too quick, it’s alright; let’s try get a partnership and take it from there onwards,” he added.

Pujara was unbeaten on 130 runs at stumps, having faced 250 balls, the fourth time he has played 200-plus deliveries in an innings on this tour. Agarwal talked about learning from his batting style and showered heady praise on the senior batsman who scored his third hundred of the series on Thursday.

“Definitely, it is great to watch him bat from the other end and also to watch him bat the way he grinds the bowlers. He has got a pattern to it and he understands his strengths and know that he is very tight with his defence. He looks to do that and waits for the bad ball to come.

“This game is for five days and there is time. It is a very long game and if you see him bat, you can learn a lot. Patience is his strength and he sticks to that,” he said.

For Agarwal too though, this was an additional confidence booster after his showing in the debut Test at Melbourne. He credited Rahul Dravid for instilling this confidence in him.

“Runs gives you lot of confidence. The more you play it gives you confidence and belief in your game. I think those runs have really helped me and have given me a lot of confidence. They have helped me stay within myself.

“Obviously playing under Dravid is good. We, as batsmen, speak about our technique and the game, and he is out there to help us, guide us and help us climb the ladder. And his advice has been really helpful. He told me to think about how to manage my mental energy and that’s something we have spoken about for 4-6 months.”

Talking about the course of this Test on the second day, Agarwal said, “We are very happy, we would have liked to be just three down but that said 303-4 on first day after choosing to bat, I think we are in a great position.

HC to decide if copyright can be claimed on traditional songs

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January 3, 2019

The Bombay High Court on Thursday said that it will soon consider if the reproduction of old traditional songs amounts to copyright violation and is liable for criminal action.

A division bench of Justices B P Dharmadhikari and Revati Mohite-Dere admitted a petition filed by lyricist and song writer Pramod Surya and two publishers Pukhraj Surya and Hiten Patel, seeking to quash an FIR lodged against them for copyright violation.

According to the petition, Pramod Surya had made a compilation of old Marwari and Gujarati traditional songs, sung during marriage and other ceremonies, and published them in two books.

In December 2014, one Ashadevi Sonigada had filed a complaint at the Malad police station here alleging that Pramod Surya and the two publishers had copied a song that she had already published in one of her books.

The high court, after hearing brief arguments, sought to know as to how copyright can be claimed on such songs.

“These are old traditional songs that have been played and sung at weddings and other ceremonies since generations. How can one claim copyright on it? This is like saying our national anthem and ‘Vande Mataram’ cannot be reproduced by anyone anywhere,” Justice Dharmadhikari said.

While admitting the petition, the bench directed the police not to file its charge sheet in the case against the lyricist and the publishers.

“We will consider the issue whether reproduction of old traditional songs and compilation of such songs amounts to copyright violations and criminal action,” the court said.

Serena Williams wins 3rd singles match at Hopman Cup

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January 3, 2019

Serena Williams stepped up her Australian Open preparations with a straight-sets victory over Britain’s Katie Boulter on Thursday to complete an unbeaten Hopman Cup campaign in singles.

Williams cooled off after a strong start but prevailed with a 6-1, 7-6 (2) victory in 78 minutes to level the tie between the United States and Britain in Group B.

Britain, however, won the tie when Boulter and playing partner Cameron Norrie had a comeback 3-4 (2), 4-3 (4), 4-1 victory over Williams and Frances Tiafoe in the mixed doubles.

The 37-year-old Williams’ hopes for a record third Hopman Cup title ended when the United States were eliminated after losses to Greece and Roger Federer-led Switzerland.

Defending champions Switzerland has a good chance to make it to the final ahead of its clash later on Thursday against Greece, which remain a mathematical chance. Hosts Australia and tournament favourites Germany will battle for a place in the decider in Group A action on Friday.

“It was definitely good to play three singles matches here, and the mixed (doubles),” Williams said.

Mumbai builder under stress over project delay ends life

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January 3, 2019

A 57-year-old builder allegedly committed suicide on Thursday by shooting himself at his office in suburban Chembur, a police official said.

Sanjay Agarwal, the owner of Sanjona Builders, was apparently under stress as one of his projects in the upmarket Chembur area had got delayed, he said.

Agarwal allegedly shot himself with his licensed revolver in his office cabin in Chembur’s Sindhi Colony around 11.25 am. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors declared him dead, Deputy Commissioner of Police (zone-VI) Shahaji Umap said.

Agarwal’s son, his brother-in-law and some office employees were present in the premises when the incident took place, police said.

An accidental death report was registered by the Chembur police and the body was sent to Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar for postmortem, the official said.

According to Agarwal’s family members, he was under stress as his project on 10th Road in Chembur had got delayed, police said, adding that a probe was underway.

Earlier, Agarwal had worked in a senior position at Nukem Industries, one of the largest suppliers of chemicals to most of the top pharmaceutical companies in the country, for 20 years.

He had formed Sanjona Builders in 1999 in partnership with one Sunil Gupta.

We have to be smart in our approach, says Gurpreet Sandhu

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January 3, 2019

Indian goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu feels that the key to India’s success in the upcoming AFC Asian Cup will be in approaching the games smartly, one at a time.

The continental tournament is set to begin from January 5 in the UAE.

India have been clubbed in Group A alongside Thailand, Bahrain and hosts UAE. They will play their first match on Sunday against Thailand, followed by games against UAE and Bahrain on January 10 and 14, respectively.

“No team will come into the Asian Cup without doing their homework. I am sure the other three teams will hold us in high regards as well. All of our three opponents are big challenges to face,” Gupreet was quoted as saying by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) website.

“We have to be smart in our approach. We have to take it one game at a time, look to get the best possible result in the first game, and then approach the second match accordingly,” he added.

Ranked 15th in Asia, India played against three quality sides — China, Oman and Jordan — in their build-up to the Asian Cup. The Stephen Constantine-coached side drew goal-less against China and Oman and lost to Jordan 1-2.

Sandhu insisted that for a team to be successful, communication between defenders and goalkeepers is vital.

“Communication between the defenders and goalkeeper is a hallmark of a strong team and in my opinion; we have done well in that respect. Once you play with each other and gain confidence, it gets better. The more you play together, the trust level increases.”

In the 2011 edition goalkeeper Subrata Pal rose to the occasion and was praised across the continent for his performance, even earning the nickname ‘Spiderman’.

Asked if he feels pressure living up to Pal’s performance, Gurpreet said that the tournament was an eye-opener for him.

“Even at that point in time, with no disrespect to someone like Subrata-bhai, I felt that I should be the one playing… Just kidding. I had the desire to play for the country and it was an eye-opener for me the manner he played. He was absolutely stunning and made a number of brilliant saves,” he said.

The goalkeeper also rated the current squad that includes several young players, above the 2011 side.

“The 2011 side was filled with a number of legends, all of whom were incredibly talented, and played under an incredible coach. However, in terms of team development and playing under the same system for a long time, I feel the batch of 2019 has the upper hand. The desire and the fire to learn defines our squad.”

“I was the youngest player in the 2011 team at 18, and this time we have so many U-23 players in the squad. It highlights the development of the sport at the grassroots level in the last 7-8 years,” he said.

Focus is on World Cup to secure Olympic quota: Anish Bhanwala

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January 3, 2019

Commonwealth Games gold medallist shooter Anish Bhanwala is meticulously planning his path to the 2020 Olympics and says that the first step in the “process” will be to secure a quota for Tokyo Games in the upcoming World Cup.

The 16-year-old Indian shot a CWG Games record score of 30 to claim the top prize in the men’s 25m rapid fire pistol event last year. The victory made Anish, then 15, the country’s youngest-ever gold medallist at the quadrennial event.

The Haryana-born shooter has bagged several International titles including the Common Wealth Shooting Championship 2017 (Brisbane), ISSF World Cup 2018 (Guadalajara) and ISSF Junior World Cup 2018 (Sydney).

In 2017, the teenager made heads turn when he won the 25m standard pistol gold with a world record score of 579 at the ISSF Junior World Championships.

“My target is to do well in the World Cups this year, where quotas for the Olympics will be on offer. The main one is the World Cup in Delhi in February, it’s in my home ground,” Anish told agencies.

“It’s a step by step process, I am focusing on qualifications for the time being, once that is done then I will think about the Olympics,” he added.

The Shooting World Cups begin in February with New Delhi hosting the first one for rifle and pistol events.

It will offer Indian shooters a chance to secure Olympic quotas on their home turf. Till now only Apurvi Chandela and Anjum Moudgil have managed to secure quotas for the Olympics, both in the women’s 10m air rifle event.

Asked about the disappointment of the Asian Games, where he failed to qualify for the final event, the unfazed shooter said that he wasn’t too bothered by it.