The death of Suvarna Sathe, a Police Constable in adjoining Thane who was also the great granddaughter of social reformer from Maharashtra Annabhau Sathe, remains shrouded in mystery even seven months after she went missing and later succumbed to burn injuries.

Suvarna went missing from Thane, where she was a Constable in rural wing, while on duty seven months ago. A few days later the family came to know of her mysterious death in their native place Walva, Sangli district, about 375km, in Western Maharashtra.

Since then her widowed mother Lilabai has been running from pillar to post seeking justice for her daughter. Lilabai and her acquaintance Shankar Kamble have accused Sunil Ingle, a “goon” from Walva, of murdering the 23-year-old.

Kamble said one day the family got a call from a Walva hospital about Suvarna being admitted there with 80 per cent burn injuries and were asked to meet her soon as her chances of survival were slim. “All that the family has is the copy of her death certificate and her buckle number (4073),” Kamble said.

“Even her body was cremated without any of her immediate family members being present,” he added.

Kamble said Suvarna left Thane along with Ingle, who had promised to marry her in Walva. Thereafter, the family got the news of her tragic death. To add to their misery, Ingle allegedly issued repeated threats to her family members. “They began threatening us to keep quiet or else my two sons would also go missing without a trace,” Lilabai said.

“She was a bright police recruit. During her training she came second in all Maharashtra ranking. She was preparing for the Police Sub-Inspector exams and we had raised Rs 50,000 for her gymnasium workout and preparations,” said a teary-eyed Lilabai.

The news of Suvarna’s tragic death brought even more agony for the family. Her father and grandmother passed away in quick succession, she added.
Lilabai lamented she is not getting any help from Sangli Police in solving the case and brining the culprit to book, but vowed to continue her fight for justice.

In a first, the Central Railway has introduced bio-degradable environment friendly garbage disposal bags for its passengers, which will be supplied along with the linen packet in AC coaches, a railway official said today.

Passengers can use these bags for storing and disposal of dry and wet garbage, the official said.

These environment friendly disposable waste bag has been introduced as part of a pilot project in AC coaches of two trains– 12133/12134 Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus- Mangalore Express and 11077/11078 Pune-Jammu Tawi Jhelum Express– on the Central Railway.

These waste bags can be disposed off in dustbins by the passengers themselves or can also be collected by On Board Housekeeping Service staff during their routine rounds of cleaning of coaches during the run.

“These attractive light green bags have been printed with details of on board housekeeping service and very important ‘Fire Safety Instructions’,” the official added.

He said that Central Railway has introduced this facility by fulfilling another budgetary announcement made by Minister for Railways which will give impetus to the cleanliness drive, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.

This was how the Maharashtra government responded to a searching query by the Bombay High Court which while describing the meat ban in Mumbai as “regressive” sought to know the rationale behind permitting sale of fish, seafood and eggs.

Justices Anoop V Mohta and Amjad Sayyed were hearing a petition filed by Bombay Mutton Dealers Association challenging the meat ban imposed by the city’s civic body and the state government.

During hearing of the petition, the court criticised the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) and the state government’s decision and said such restrictions cannot be imposed in a city like Mumbai.

“Mumbai city is cosmopolitan and multi-faceted where there is no sizeable amount of population from one sect. Hence can such a ban be imposed? In a city like Mumbai, there cannot be such bans. We are concerned about people who eat non-vegetarian food more. There are certain communities who do not eat vegetarian much,” the court said.

“There is a progressive look attached with Mumbai. Such decisions are regressive in nature. What to eat is an individual choice. How can you restrict that?” the court said.

The court sought to know the rationale behind permitting sale of fish, seafood and eggs.

“How are fish and eggs different? Killing them is not violent? What is the rationale behind such a decision?” it asked.

To this, Advocate General Anil Singh said “fish dies the moment it is taken out of water. Hence, there is no death due to slaughter.”

The court also felt that the ban on some days during the nine-day Jain festival Prayushan was absurd.

“What is the idea of having the ban on some days and allowing slaughter and sale of meat on other days? Is it that there is no sentiment on one day and the next day you are filled with sentiment? What is the idea behind this?” the court said.

The court also suggested that the government formulate a uniform policy throughout the state.

Taking strong objection to meat ban imposed by some BJP-ruled states on account of a Jain festival, CPI demanded the governments to ensure that they don’t dictate what a person should eat and at what time.

“The CPI is of the opinion that state should not dictate what a person should eat and when to consume. Such type of acts based with narrow partisan attitude with definite political motives creates social disharmony. The governments must refrain from such acts,” CPI general secretary S Sudhakar Reddy said in a statement.

The party also warned the governments that they must refrain from taking such decisions, which it added, can create social disharmony.

BJP-ruled Maharashtra and Rajasthan have ordered ban on sale of meat during the Jain festival of Paryushan period – a decision which has created controversy especially in Mumbai.

In Maharashtra, the ban, imposed since yesterday, will continue for three more days.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday announced to set up a ‘Japan Desk’, a one-stop shop in the state for all Japanese companies.

He also said that Japan, which will fund the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project, has agreed to study the proposal for the train to go via Nashik.

“I am happy to inform that we are setting up ‘Japan Desk’ – a one stop shop in Maharashtra for all Japanese companies,” Fadnavis said at a seminar on ‘Investing in Maharashtra’ held in Tokyo.

He also said that his government was trying to set up Japanese Industrial Park at Supa with the help of Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO).

Maharashtra accounts for 15 per cent of national exports, 30 per cent of the national FDI which includes 7 per cent from Japanese FDI. The 3 Ds- demography, democracy and demand are in favour of investment in India and Maharashtra is the most preferred destination, Fadnavis said addressing and interacting with officials from around 300 Japanese business houses at the seminar.

Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) also agreed to support new tourism infrastructure in Ajanta, Lonar in this meeting with Fadnavis, an official in CMO informed.

Fadnavis proposed that the bullet train from Ahmedabad to Mumbai should go via Nashik, to which JICA agreed to study the proposal.

JICA will start public consultation on Mumbai Metro next week and will also support the bullet train project. It assured Fadnavis to fast-track funding for Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) project so as to start bidding by December this year.

The Chief Minister met JICA’s representatives and SoftBank Group CEO Masayoshi Son.

The Supreme Court on Friday extended by four weeks the interim protection from arrest granted to Teesta Setalvad and her husband in a case of alleged embezzlement of funds for a museum at Ahmedabad’s Gulbarg Society that was devastated in the 2002 riots.

A bench comprising Justices A R Dave and Adarsh Kumar Goel said the interim protection from arrest will continue till October 15.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal mentioned the issue on behalf of the couple, saying the interim order was expiring on September 15.

Setalvad and her husband Javed Anand have challenged the order of the Gujarat High Court denying them anticipatory bail in the case.

The High Court order was stayed by the apex court and has been pending to be heard by a three-judge bench.

The apex court had on April 16 constituted a three-judge bench to hear afresh the anticipatory bail plea of Setalvad and her husband as a two-judge bench of Justices Dipak Misra and Adarsh Kumar Goel on March 19 had referred it to a larger bench and extended its interim order protecting them against arrest till the larger bench takes up the matter.

The couple have denied all charges levelled by the Gujarat Police, which in an affidavit in July had alleged that they had misappropriated funds meant for charity for personal expenses buying items ranging from wine to mobile phone, besides tampering with evidence.

Teesta and her husband, who have been fighting for justice for the victims of the riots, have denied all allegations contending that they have been implicated in the case and were victims of political vendetta.