A 21-year-old youth was arrested in the district for allegedly killing a woman and kidnapping her son, police said.

The accused, Suresh Kumavat, entered the Hanuman Nagar residence of Gatkidevi Devasi, 25, and killed her by strangulation and slitting her throat. He then kidnapped her 2-year-old son Prakash, district Superintendent of Police Sharada Raut said.

Later, he called up the deceased’s husband at his workplace in Mumbai and demanded Rs. 1.5 lakh ransom, threatening to kill his son if he did not give the amount.

When the man reached home, he found that his wife was dead and their son was missing, following which he filed a complaint with the Nallasopara police, she said.

The police hatched a plan and formed different teams to nab the accused. As per his specific demand, the complainant brought the money and placed it near a bus on a pitch dark road in Dahisar (east).

Within 15-20 minutes, a man came to collect the bag containing the money and the police, lying in wait, led by Inspector Ravindra Badgujar, arrested him. The boy was also rescued, she said.

The accused was known to the complainant and had visited his house a few times in connection with business and was cousin of one of his friends, she further said.

A case has been registered under relevant sections of the IPC, the SP said, adding further investigation is on.

Sensationalisation to some extent in media is acceptable but it is media’s responsibility to check that “overdose of spicy news” does not affect the health of society, Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said.

Observing that there are thousands of registered newspapers and news channels in the country, and that media in India has a vast freedom as compared to other countries, he said the media is effectively impacting political and social scenario of the nation.

The Minister was at the event, an initiative by exchange4media Group, to felicitate talent in creative newspaper advertising.

With more freedom, responsibilities of media to present news with authenticity has increased even more, Naqvi said according to a statement.

“We are not in favour of any type of gag on media but media should work on self-reforms so that it can fulfill its duty towards society in a better way,” he said, adding that it is media’s responsibility to check that “overdose of spicy news” does not affect the health of society.

Noting that newspapers have maintained their credibility even as 24-hour news channels were increasing by the day, Naqvi said most people in the country “start their day with a cup of tea and a newspaper”.

The Minister also stressed on the significance of social media, saying it has been impacting people, especially youth, and has become an effective medium of providing messages, even to villages.

Along with news, advertising also impacts people, Naqvi said, adding that people of our country engaged in creative advertising are among the best in the world.

“Unfortunately, these people have been facing lack of resources as well as respect. There is also a need for self-reform in this regard and these reforms should be in the interest of all stake-holders and can promote talent in this field,” he said.

Naqvi said companies should spend at least five to ten per cent of expenditure on their advertising on creating awareness on issues of public concern.

Voicing concern over heavy school bags carried by students, the Bombay High Court today asked Maharashtra government to expeditiously take a decision on implementation of a resolution passed by it that seeks to address the problem.

A division bench of Justices V M Kanade and Shalini Phansalkar-Joshi, hearing a public interest litigation filed by social activist Swati Patil on rising weight of school bags and its adverse impact on the health of children, gave three weeks to the Government to take a decision.

Soon after the petition was filed, government had appointed a committee which had submitted several recommendations.

As per the committee report, students are lugging school bags 20-30 per cent heavier than what children of their age should carry. Because of this, around 60 per cent students below the age of 10 suffer from orthopaedic as well as stress-induced ailments.

The committee recommended that one book should be used for three months for each subject and the text book weight can be reduced by using less weight paper and no hardcover.

Further, it suggested use of e-classroom, audio-visual technology and other technological means for teaching.

Government had informed the HC that the committee report and its resolution on reducing the weight of school bags was only recommendatory in nature.

“This is a serious issue. Government has to take a decision soon. Have you (government) issued instruction to the schools about the resolution?” the Court said.

Swine flu has claimed two more lives in the city, taking the total number of deaths due to the disease this month to 13, official data said.

The number of victims the H1N1 influenza has claimed in the metropolis since January this has touched 40, it added.

According to the daily report issued by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the latest victims of the H1N1 virus were – a 76-year-old suburban Ghatkopar resident and an 80-year-old woman from suburban Malad.

Total 2,427 swine flu cases have been reported in the city so far this year, it said.

According to the civic body’s fortnightly report, the first two weeks of this month witnessed a spurt in all monsoon-related ailments.

Between July 1 and 15, total 3,563 cases of fever, 72 cases of H1N1, 337 cases of Malaria, 22 of dengue, 60 cases of Leptospirosis had been reported. “However, these figures went up in the first fortnight of August, with total 4,405 cases of fever, 228 cases of H1N1, 380 cases of Malaria, 33 of dengue and 21 cases of Leptospirosis being registered,” the report added.

While total 90 H1N1 cases were reported in the first week of August, the number rose to 138 in the second week.

A statement issued by Executive Health Officer said that a special drive for the H1N1 vaccination for pregnant women has been launched and till this afternoon, 130 doses were administered in four designated centres of BMC.

Highlighting the action taken to control the diseases, it said the administration has surveyed 862 houses covering a population of 3,216, out of which 21 fever cases were detected and referred to dispensaries.

The Bombay High Court refused interim relief to the grandchildren of Vijaypat Singhania, chairman emeritus of Raymond Group, who have challenged an agreement whereby their right to the family property was given up by their father.

Singapore-based Raivathari, Tarini, Rasaalika and Ananya had urged the High Court to direct all the concerned parties not to deal with the properties in question till their suit was decided.

However, Justice Gautam Patel dismissed the application.

The High Court would decide their main suit in due course.

The agreement in question pertains to a 1998 settlement between Dr Vijaypat Singhania and his estranged son, Madhupati Singhania, the plaintiffs’ father.

Madhupati and his wife left the family home in Mumbai 16 years ago and settled down in Singapore.

According to the plaintiffs, while parting ways, Madhupati signed an agreement giving up his as well as his minor children’s rights to the family property.

The plaintiffs want this agreement to be invalidated, saying it is “malafide, illegal and arbitrary and was made only to safeguard Dr Singhania.”

The suit contends that the ancestral rights of grandchildren couldn’t have been given up on their behalf when they were minors. Guardian of the property of a Hindu minor must seek permission of a court before transferring it or relinquishing it, it says.

Soon after the agreement, the suit says, Madhupati’s younger brother Gautam was made the chairman and managing director of Raymond Limited. While their father struggled to make a living and provide his family basic amenities in Singapore, Gautam and his family lived a life of luxury in Mumbai, it alleges.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday accorded ‘Z’ category security to social activist Anna Hazare, who has received a threat letter.

“Anna Hazare has been accorded ‘Z’ category security from some time now. We have been conducting a security audit of Anna time-to-time and in spite of that he is receiving threat letters. Looking at all these threat letters being received by him, we have provided him two additional escorts and the security in his office and residence has been further heightened,” Minister of State for Home Ram Shinde said.

Police have taken cognisance of the latest threat letter received by the Gandhian and an inquiry is being conducted into the matter, he said.

“The government will leave no stone unturned to ensure he remains safe,” Shinde said.

“The letter mentions name of one Mahadeo Panchal from Latur district and was posted from Osmanabad,” Hazare’s aide Datta Awari said over phone from Parner.

10 days ago, Hazare received another threat letter which stated that he would be “bumped off” if he does not dissociate himself from Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

A case was registered under IPC Section 506 (criminal intimidation) at Parner police station in Ahmednagar district, a police official from Parner had said.

“The letter was dated August 7 and is mostly written in English,” the official said.

The letter warned Hazare that he will meet the fate of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar, who was killed in Pune two years back.

The letter also asked the Gandhian to stay put in his native Ralegan Siddhi village, police said.