A 32-year-old man was stabbed to death in suburban Goregaon, police said on Wednesday.
The incident took place on Mulund Link road late Tuesday night, said an official of the Vanrai police station.
Tej Bahadur Maurya (45), the accused, allegedly stabbed Mukhesh Jhanjre multiple times after a heated argument near a hotel. They had an old dispute, the official said. Maurya was arrested in the morning under Indian Penal Code section 302 (murder) and further probe was on, the official added.
Police have registered a case against filmmaker Kamal Kishor Mishra for allegedly ramming his car into his wife after she spotted him with another woman in the vehicle in Mumbai, an official said. The filmmaker’s wife was injured in the incident which took place on October 19 in the parking area of a residential building in suburban Andheri, he said. Mishra is the producer of Hindi film ‘Dehati Disco’.
There are several cases of different Lingayat seers who are accused of Rape and molestation. Some cases hit the headlines and most of the cases go unreported due to community pressure. The community forms around 16-17% of the state’s population and over decades, has played a pivotal role in the Karnataka state elections. Perhaps this is the reason no political party or its leaders rake up these issues.
Recently, a 45-year-old Lingayat seer Basavalinga Swami was found hanging at 6 am from his prayer room’s window grille at Kanchugal Bande Mutt, which he headed, in Ramanagara district of Karnataka. Two names in the suicide note are connected to the mutt. His suicide note mentioned blackmail and harassment by “some people who wanted to remove him from his position. Generally, such conspiracy theories are an inevitable part of Mutts. Each one eye is on the higher position. The position brings not only wealth but political mileage too.
Some unidentified woman captured the private moments between the seer and her. They were captured by the woman using her phone’s screen-recording function. The woman and a few others threatened the seer that they would release four obscene videos. Police got the leads on who these people are. We are investigating every angle possible. But the question here is why the seer got into such an act. Why he had to fall for free sex and obscenity?
There was politics within and outside the mutt. Some seers are well-connected with politicians, and they could pull strings to defame each other. But the suicide note has no mention of any politicians at all. Basavalinga Swami took over the 400-year-old mutt’s leadership at the age of 20 in 1997, and recently celebrated the silver jubilee. Sharanaru’s mutt is one of the most prominent and influential Lingayat maths in Karnataka.
Last December, the head of Chilume Mutt, also named Basavalinga Swamy, died by suicide in a similar fashion. He reportedly was upset over his failing health. The sect was founded in the 12th century by social reformer and poet Basaveshwara, who has a huge following in the south Indian states. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and his predecessor BS Yeddiyurappa come from the sect. The sect has BJP’s backing; Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took ceremonial initiation into it in August at Muruga Mutt, hoping to broaden the party’s appeal ahead of elections due in about six months.
Two weeks ago, a fresh case was registered against a Lingayat seer, Shivamurthy Sharanaru of Muruga Mutt in Chitradurga, who was in jail over rape allegations, after four minor girls alleged that they were sexually assaulted by him for years. He was produced in court, which sent him to police custody till September 5. Following his arrest, 64-year-old Sharanaru was sent to jail where he developed health complications. He was taken to the district hospital where medical tests were conducted.
Sharanaru has been booked under provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for allegedly sexually abusing two high school girls, studying in a school run by the Math and staying in hostel also belonging to it. Sharanaru earlier claimed that the case against him is a conspiracy and said that he would come out clean. He claimed that the case was part of a long-drawn conspiracy against him. He indicated an inside job and vowed to come out clean. The seer also said he was law-abiding and would cooperate with the investigation.
The Mysuru city police filed an FIR against the seer under the POCSO Act and certain sections of the Indian Penal Code for the alleged sexual abuse. The FIR was registered against a total of five people, including the warden of the monastery’s hostel, based on the complaint by an officer of the District Child Protection Unit. Before some conclusion is drawn in this case, another Lingayat seer was honey trapped and forced to end his life.
Whenever there is a political crisis in Karnataka, mutts and seers of several religious organisations become active and often extend their support to leaders from different political parties. Today, when the tables have turned, with allegations of sexual harassment against Dr Shivamurthy Sharanaru, chief pontiff of Murugha Mutt, politicians of several parties in the state, have either remained silent or have extended their support to the seer, further cementing the fact that religious mutts in the state are extremely powerful, and can influence politicians and politics immensely.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde exuded confidence in forging a stronger relationship between the people and the government in the state in the times to come and highlighted the measures taken by the state.In a video message on social media, Shinde said, “This Devendra Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde government is continuously working for the people of Maharashtra. In our first Cabinet meeting, we told the public that it is the people’s government. We (Fadnavis-Shinde) government working for them. Our agenda is only for you. I know our (government and public) relations will become stronger in the future and I believe in it. We provided funds for relief in flood areas. We clear 950 loans for farmers.”
Two men were injured after a group of nine persons allegedly attacked them on the suspicion that the duo had complained against them for damaging a CCTV camera at a temple in Maharashtra’s Thane district, police said on Thursday. The incident took place in Ambernath town on Monday following which a case was registered against the nine accused who were not yet arrested, they said.
Mumbai Police have rescued a two-month-old girl who was allegedly kidnapped two days back from south Mumbai and arrested a couple in this connection, a senior official said on Thursday. The accused allegedly wanted to sell the child, he said, adding that police suspect the couple might have been involved in more cases of child kidnappings.
Union minister Raosaheb Danve on Thursday brushed aside speculation that some legislators belonging to the Shiv Sena faction led by Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde may form a group with the intention of merging with the Bharatiya Janata Party.
The senior BJP leader said there was no need for such a move as the Shinde group and his party were in alliance and were running the state government smoothly and efficiently.
Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan had accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of creating an atmosphere in the country in which Muslims found it difficult to exist. Khan was sentenced to three years in jail today by a court that held him guilty of hate speech in 2019. Soon after Azam Khan, was granted bail and a week to appeal the sentence.
Azam Khan faces disqualification as an MLA if he doesn’t challenge the sentence immediately before the High Court. The Uttar Pradesh assembly can also move quickly to disqualify him, as is the rule when any lawmaker is sentenced to more than two years in jail. Azam khan said “I have lots of faith in law. Not all doors have closed – I will appeal before a higher court”.
Earlier today, Azam Khan was convicted for his provocative speech against PM Modi, Yogi Adityanath and IAS officer Aunjaneya Kumar Singh, then District magistrate, during the general election campaign in 2019. He was also fined ₹ 25,000 by the court in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh.
Azam Khan is seen as the number two leader in Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party, with a strong following in Rampur and other parts of western Uttar Pradesh. The veteran leader was released from jail in May after the Supreme Court granted him interim bail. He spent nearly two years in jail in a land-grabbing case.
To get bail, Azam Khan argued that the Uttar Pradesh government was relentlessly registering cases against him to ensure he stays in prison. The Samajwadi leader faces 87 cases, with charges ranging from corruption and theft to land grab, filed since the BJP took power in Uttar Pradesh in 2017.
Azam Khan’s conviction comes a week after the Supreme Court asked the Centre and the Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments to act tough on hate speeches, warning that any delay in taking action would invite the court’s contempt.
Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan and two other accused were sentenced to three years in prison along with a fine of Rs 2,000 in a hate speech case filed against him over his hate speech against state Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
The Rampur court today convicted the Samajwadi Party’s senior leader.
A case was registered against Khan in Rampur in April 2019, for allegedly making provocative remarks against the Uttar Pradesh CM and the then District Magistrate of Rampur, Aunjaneya Kumar Singh.
A superb performance by Indian bowlers coupled with half-centuries by a trio of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav helped the all-round Men in Blue clinch a 56-run win over the Netherlands in their Group 2, Super 12 match of the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup at Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday. With this win, India is at the top spot in the points table with four points in two wins in two matches.
The Netherlands is at the bottom and has yet to score a point after two losses. Chasing 180, the Netherlands got off to a bad start, losing openers Vikramjit Singh (1) and Max ODowd (16) to pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar and spinner Axar Patel respectively. The stumps of both the openers were rattled, reducing the Dutch to 20/2 in 4.2 overs.
The duo of Bas de Leede and Colin Ackermann took the Netherlands through the remainder of the powerplay safely. At the end of six overs, Netherlands was at 27/2, with Leede (7*) and Ackermann (2*) at the crease.
The short-lived 27-run partnership between the duo was ended by Axar Patel after he dismissed de Leede for 16 off 23 balls with assistance from Hardik Pandya at backward point.
At the end of 10 overs, the Dutch were at 51/3, with Tom Cooper (3*) and Ackermann (13#) at the crease. Following this, spinner Ravichandran Ashwin drove India to a more comfortable position in the match by dismissing Ackermann (17) and Cooper (9), reducing the Netherlands to 63/5.
Tom Pringle and Scott Edwards tried to put on a stand for their side. But the match was slipping away from them as the required run rate kept mounting.
At the end of 15 overs, Netherlands was at 81/5, with Pringle (14*) and Edwards (3*). Pringle was the sixth batter down after Virat Kohli took a brilliant running catch at around mid-off, giving pacer Mohammad Shami his first wicket in the match. The Netherlands were six down at 87.
The Dutch side continued their downward spiral. Bhuvneshwar got his second wicket of the match and he sent back skipper Edwards for 5 off 8 balls. Netherlands sunk to 89/7. Though the Netherlands crossed the 100-run mark in 17.4 overs, Arshdeep Singh took two quick scalps to dismiss Logan van Beek (3) and Fred Klaassen (0).
The Dutch side was reduced to 101/9 in 18 overs. Netherlands finished at 123/9 in their 20 overs, with Shariz Ahmad (16*) and Paul van Meekeren (14*) at the crease. The Dutch lost the match by 56 runs.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/9), Axar Patel (2/18), Arshdeep Singh (2/27) and Ravichandran Ashwin (2/21) took two scalps for India. Shami got one wicket. Half-centuries from star batters Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Suryakumar Yadav guided India to a competitive 179/2 in 20 overs against the Netherlands in their Group 2, Super 12 match of the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup at Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Thursday.
Batting first, India was off to a shaky start as they lost opener KL Rahul for 9 off 12 balls after a medium pacer Paul van Meekeren trapped his leg before the wicket. India was 11/1 in 2.4 overs.
Star batter Virat Kohli joined Rohit Sharma on the crease in the third over. The duo took India through the powerplay safely, without any further fall of a wicket. However, the Netherlands kept Indian batters subdued with their great line and length.
At the end of six overs, India was at 32/1, with Kohli (6*) and Rohit (16*) at the crease. Both batters did hit some big shots, but they struggled to connect properly and big outfields forced them to satisfy themselves with doubles. The duo brought up their 50-run stand in 41 balls, surviving many mistimed hits and catch attempts.
At the end of 10 overs, India was at a decent 67/1, with Rohit (42*) and Kohli (14*). They needed to push their inning into the next gear now. Rohit Sharma brought up his half-century in 35 balls with a four, his 29th in the format.
Kohli on the other hand still could not score a boundary. The 75-run stand between the duo was broken after Rohit was caught by Colin Ackermann at deep-midwicket on a delivery by medium pacer Fred Klassen. The skipper scored 53 off 39 balls with four boundaries and three sixes.
Suryakumar Yadav joined Kohli on the crease and the latter also broke his boundary drought with a straight four over the bowler’s head. A four by Suryakumar took India to the 100-run mark in 13.2 overs.
Suryakumar kept showing his impressive range of shots, helping Men in Blue reach 114/2 in 15 overs, with Kohli (32*) and Suryakumar (17*). The 16th over was good for India as it gave them 14 runs. In the next over, Virat also hit some attractive shots to bring up his second straight fifty in the tournament in just 36 balls, which was also his 35th in the format.
The 17th over gave away 16 runs. A boundary from Suryakumar helped India cross the 150-run mark in 17.5 overs. Suryakumar and Virat kept on piling runs, helping India finish at 179/2 in 20 overs.
Suryakumar brought his fifty with six on the last ball. Virat finished with 62* off 44 balls with three boundaries and two sixes while Suryakumar finished with 51* off 25 balls with seven fours and a six. The duo formed an unbeaten 95-run stand in 48 balls. Fred Klaassen and Paul van Meekeran took a wicket each for Dutch.
Brief Scores: India: 179/2 (Virat Kohli 62*, Rohit Sharma 53, Paul van Meekeran 1/32) beat Netherlands: 123/9 (Tim Pringle 20, Colin Ackermann 17, Bhuvneshwar Kumar 2/9).
