A 22-year-old girl was allegedly gang raped by two persons in Ghoteghar village in Shahapur taluka in the district, police said.
The incident took place on Monday afternoon when the victim was alone at home, Assistant Police Inspector (API) Bapusaheb Shinde of the Shahapur police station said.
The two unidentified persons entered her house and tied her legs before they took turns to rape her. They also inflicted injuries on her body, including her private parts, police said.
After committing the crime, the accused fled from the spot.
The duo has been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and a search is on to nab them, police said.
Children’s monthly Tinkle, from the house of Amar Chitra Katha, has entered the Limca Book of Records for being the ‘only all-comic magazine for children’.
The June issue of the magazine has been dedicated to this record along with a double spread proclaiming the entry into the record book.
The magazine has been delivering comic stories and endearing characters like ‘Suppandi’, ‘Tantri the Mantri’ and ‘Shikari Shambu’ from November 14, 1980 when it was launched by Anant Pai more popularly known as Uncle Pai.
“It is a very proud moment for all of us. It would not have been possible without the love that Tinkle readers have for the magazine. Over 34 years Tinkle has adapted to the changing mindsets but retains its ethos, remaining a fun family magazine,” Manas Mohan, COO, ACK Media said.
“We hope to continue entertaining our readers like we have and being the most loved kids magazine,” he added.
With its mix of comics and articles on science, quizzes and contests, the magazine with a current monthly circulation of 300,000 copies and edited by Rajani Thindiath, has a large fan base.
“Since its inception Tinkle has been engaging its readers with relevant content sharing, further making the process of learning fun. It is incredible to know that our team’s efforts and stories for children are being recognized and appreciated across the globe. We are happy that we have been successful in following the foot-steps of Uncle Pai”, Thindiath, said.
Mumbai, India’s fashion capital and home to Bollywood, has ranked last among the top 37 cities in the world featured in the best overall tourist experience, according to an annual ‘Cities Survey’ by leading travel site TripAdvisor.
“Mumbai faced tough competition from some of the top tourist cities and while its overall rank was disappointing, it did live up to its reputation for good food, nightlife and shopping, with the company of cities like Stockholm, Prague, Hanoi in these categories,” TripAdvisor Country Manager -India – Nikhil Ganju said.
The financial hub (of India) also fared above or in the same league as key tourist destinations such as New York, Sydney, Paris, London, Kuala Lumpur for ‘value for money’, ‘helpfulness of locals’, ‘restaurants’ among others, the report revealed.
The annual Cities Survey, reveals how global travellers view key tourist cities around the world.
The results were compiled based on more than 54,000 responses from those who have recently written TripAdvisor reviews for featured cities around the world.
Ranking first for city with the best overall experience was Tokyo.
The city also claimed top spots for helpfulness of locals, taxi service, local public transportation, and cleanliness of streets.
Tokyo received high marks across the board, as it ranked among the top 10 in 13 of 16 categories in the survey.
“Tokyo has received high marks from TripAdvisor travellers, who praise the city for its hospitality, cleanliness and outstanding public transit system,” Ganju added.
Other high ranking cities were Singapore, which was number one for comfort travelling alone and second for taxi service, cleanliness of streets, ease of getting around and family-friendliness.
Rome topped the list of attractions or things to do and culture, while Dubai was ranked first for shopping and hotels.
A domestic help of Bollywood filmmaker Satish Kaushik has been arrested from suburban Chembur in connection with the theft of Rs 1.20 crore cash at the latter’s residence, police said.
“Sajan Kumar, the domestic help, was arrested last night from Vashi Naka in Chembur in connection with the theft at Satish Kaushik’s residence,” Senior Inspector Harishchandra Parmale of Versova police station said.
Also, Rs 1.19 crore cash has been recovered, he said. The pre-planned offence was committed by Sajan so that he could settle in life with the cash, police said.
A bag containing the cash was stolen allegedly by Sajan on Sunday from the actor-director-producer’s house in Raj Classic apartment in suburban Versova, police said. The cash was handed over to Kaushik by one of his employees on May 16 and the director had plans to deposit it in bank on May 19. On Sunday, the bag with cash could not be found in the house, following which Kaushik’s wife approached police and an FIR was registered, the police official said.
According to police, Sajan, who had been working as domestic help at Kaushik’s residence for past four months, on Sunday sneaked out of the filmmaker’s house with the cash, took an autorickshaw to Andheri railway station from where he went to Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in South Mumbai.
He again returned to Andheri station from where he reached Kurla in an autorickshaw and checked into a hotel there, police said. The next day morning, he planned to take a train to his native place in Jharkhand but the hotel staff did not wake him up because of which he missed the train. Sajan then went to his relative plaqce in Kurla. “He told his relative that the bag contained books,” police said.
The police stumbled upon the first clue when Sajan used his newly purchased mobile phone with a new SIM card. “Sajan had purchased a mobile phone with dual SIM card facility from Versova on Saturday so that he could use the new phone and new SIM card after the theft. He switched on the new mobile phone, leading us to track his movement through IMEI number. Sajan was picked from Vashi Naka and the cash of Rs 1.19 crore was recovered,” said another official.
The accused was produced before a local court, which remanded him in police custody till May 26.
The mercy plea of Yakub Abdul Razak Memon, a death-row convict in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, has been rejected by President Pranab Mukherjee.
The decision has been taken by the President following recommendations of the Maharashtra government and the Home Ministry that the mercy petition of Memon be rejected, a senior official said.
The President’s decision has been conveyed to the Maharashtra government.
Yakub, a chartered accountant and brother of fugitive terror mastermind Tiger Memon, was sentenced to death by a TADA court in 2007 after being found guilty of charges of criminal conspiracy and for arranging finances and managing its disbursement through the co-accused in the Mumbai serial blasts.
Upholding the Mumbai TADA court’s verdict, Supreme Court, in March, 2013, had said, “It is not a hyperbole to state that he was one of the driving spirits behind the plan.”
In October, 2013, Yakub applied for a presidential pardon following which, a report from the state government was sought by Home Ministry.
Yakub was arrested from Kathmandu airport in 1994. He was later described by the TADA court as the mastermind who played a key role in the conspiracy, thus “warranting death penalty”.
The multiple blasts had claimed 257 lives and left 713 injured. CBI, which probed the blasts, alleged that the conspiracy was hatched by Dawood Ibrahim and other absconding persons, including Yakub’s brother Tiger Memon, who is believed to be hiding in Pakistan.
In a bold step to embark on a policy of regional engagement, India will invite the leaders of Pakistan and other neighbours to Modi’s swearing in ceremony as a Prime Minister of India. Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Shariff will be on the guest list of leaders from the eight-member South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) invited to attend Modi’s swearing in on Monday. Modi has reportedly invited Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Shariff and other world leaders for his oath-taking ceremony. There is no recent precedent for inviting foreign heads of state when an Indian prime minister has been sworn in. SAARC nations include Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan and the invitation would send out a strong signal of a neighbour-friendly new government. The BJP has indicated that Modi will work to a re-crafted foreign policy. About 3000 people would be invited for Modi’s oath-taking, which will be held in the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the presidential palace. Only two other prime ministers – Chandra Shekhar and Atal Bihari Vajpayee – have been sworn in ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan’s forecourt. Others have taken oath in the historic Durbar Hall of the palace, which can only accommodate 500 people.
People of Pakistan and India are not different in their biological and mental signatures; In fact the only difference being the former loves India as much as we are crafted to hate Pakistan. Common public in Pakistan still have so much love towards Indians. Unfortunately, India is projected as a pernicious substance to the people of Pakistan. I hope this will change soon. The modern Pakistan, characterised by the rock bands, the smartly turned out crowds in a cricket match, in coffee houses in Karachi – we could be talking about Indians in Bangalore. However, there is also the reality of Taliban and their ilk, the medievalism that they drive, and the networks that they have built with ISI, an organisation which has covertly supported terrorism in India and Afghanistan. Religious minorities are far from thriving in Pakistan. The equivalents of Tata, Aamir Khan, Jesudas, or Manmohan Singh are completely absent from public life. The people of Pakistan are no different from those of India, but the Government and the media there have molded the people into believing that Indians are monsters and India as a country is their enemy. With the government and the media lines changing, the next generation of Pakistan might change over a period of time; otherwise the status quo will continue which is not beneficial for both the countries.
Of course, India can take initiative in rebuilding ties with Pakistan and improve the ground realities and India’s initiative can perhaps find favour among the Pakistan’s establishment and the people. Entire Afghanistan and Pakistan were at one point in history predominantly Hindu (with Buddhist, Jain and Sikh faiths as well) which is to be forgotten and relegated to the dustbin if one has to be seen as a liberal secular humanist. Pakistan is constantly pressurised by right wing politicians and mullahs for sharia based rule of law but common citizens want democracy on the line of India. Our country also is being pushed by the Right Wing conservative political parties and cultural organisations like RSS, BJP, SS, Bajrang Dal, Sri Ram Sene and VHP etc but common Indian want liberal democratic India. Though, India and Pakistan parted ways 6 decades ago, but common mentality and thinking of Indian sub-continent people seems to be the same, same mentality of apathy towards poor by upper and middle class.
Overall, both the countries have gross inequality between poor and rich, life and condition of women determined by men’s preferences in the both countries. In both countries, considerable number of children are engaged in child labour without education. In spite of so many similarities, there are two most extreme sides too, 65000 Pakistanis have died in the last 10 years due to terrorism by extreme right wing Islamist jihadists within Pakistan. In addition, thousands of Indians and Afghans have died due to cross border terrorism mounted by the same forces with the connivance of all sections of the Pakistan’s establishment during the same period. In fact, Pakistan has been conducting jihad against us and Kabul ever since 1947. Today, there are nearly four dozen violent jihadist terrorist tanzeems with significant membership operating within Pakistan with impunity. These tanzeems are deeply embedded within government, military and the society. There is no world leader who has not condemned Pakistan for its perfidy and the ‘running with the hares and hunting with the hounds’ approach in tackling terror. The Army has the motto ‘Jihad fi sabilillah’. Children are being arrested under blasphemy law. The constitution has to comply with Shariat. India has extreme Hindu and Pakistan has extreme Talibanis. Both the countries are frequently under terror attack.
Anyways, Modi inviting Pakistan for his swearing in ceremony was good move. If Nawaz Shariff refuses to come then its their look out and we can say it is much great thing. During election speeches, Modi’s agendas were to teach a lesson to Pakistan. Pakistan and other Muslim countries never wanted Modi to come to power, because they consider him threat to their country and religion. In such circumstances, if Nawaz obliges Modi then he would face heat in his country and if he comes then BJP have to face the heat of its allay Shiv Sena.
Let’s see how this entire drama takes shape with time….
Former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was on Wednesday sent to judicial custody till May 23 after he refused to furnish a bail bond in connection with a criminal defamation complaint filed against him by BJP leader Nitin Gadkari.
The court, while passing the order, said that the AAP leader was looking for “some exceptional treatment”. The court also ordered the Delhi Police to take Kejriwal into custody and shift him to Tihar jail.
The order was passed after Kejriwal refused to give an undertaking and furnish a bail bond of Rs 10,000.
Kejriwal, who appeared before the court in pursuance to the summons issued against him, told Metropolitan Magistrate Gomati Manocha that he was ready to give an undertaking that he will appear before the court but refused to furnish bail bond to secure bail.
During the hearing, the magistrate observed, “I completely agree but why he (Kejriwal) will not furnish bail bond. What is the problem. There is a procedure and why should we follow different procedure in this case.”
“I agree he will appear in the court but the procedure is that a person has to file bail bond. Are you looking for some exception treatment?” the court asked.
Kejriwal, who also argued in the court, told the judge that he has not committed any heinous crime and added that he was not looking for any exceptional treatment.
“This is my principle that when I have not done anything wrong, I will not seek bail. I am ready to go to jail,” he said.
Advocates Prashant Bhushan and Rahul Mehra, who appeared for Kejriwal, told the magistrate that these cases are of political nature and as per the principle of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), they will not furnish bail bond.
Bhushan also argued that there was no possibility that Kejriwal would tamper with the evidence or influence the witnesses and filing of undertaking was correct.
Senior advocate Pinki Anand, who appeared for Gadkari, opposed the contentions of defence counsel, saying there was no procedure in law to furnish undertaking and law should not vary for anyone.
The court after hearing the arguments advanced by both the parties reserved its order for 4 PM on the issue of filing of undertaking by Kejriwal.
Arvind Kejriwal, the chief of the Aam Aadmi Party, apologized to Delhi for the “mistake” of quitting abruptly as Chief Minister and said he would hold public meetings to seek voters’ forgiveness before fresh elections.
“We have decided to prepare for polls. In the coming weeks we will hold a lot of sabhas, apologise to Delhi’s citizens and convince them to give us a clear majority so that we can form the country’s first corruption-free government,” Mr. Kejriwal said.
On social media, “Kejriwal’s Sorry Sabhas” went viral after these comments.
Mr. Kejriwal had on Tuesday asked Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung not to dissolve the Delhi assembly as his party wanted a week to invite public opinion on whether it should form a government again.
This morning, the party took a reality check, after which the AAP chief said, “Chances of our forming a government under the circumstances are negligible, so there is no point asking for advice.”
AAP fielded over 430 candidates in the national election but won only four seats, none of them in Delhi. The party assesses that its resignation after just 49 days in power disappointed its supporters and lost it many voters who had backed the party in the December Delhi polls.
After his new party’s spectacular debut in the December Delhi election, Mr. Kejriwal quit as Delhi Chief Minister on February 14 when he failed to push his pet anti-corruption Jan Lokpal Bill.
AAP’s plan to rewind and restart was stymied by the Congress, which had provided the external support of its eight legislators earlier but ruled out backing Mr. Kejriwal’s party again.
Making a strong pitch for a “pro-poor, secular government” at the Centre, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi today said India does not need a government that “makes Hindus fight Muslims” in an apparent dig at BJP.
Addressing an election rally, he said that since these were Lok Sabha elections, local Tamil parties, with which Congress failed to enter into a poll-pact, will not form the government at Delhi.
“You must ensure that a pro-poor, secular government comes to power at Delhi. We don’t need a government that promotes hate and anger. We don’t need a government that makes Hindus fights Muslims,” he said.
The country also did not require a government that “imposes ideas from one state on another,” he added.
Seeking to enthuse workers who are putting up with the stiff challenge as the party is facing the polls alone, Gandhi said he was happy that Congress was fighting the elections by itself as there was no need for any compromise. “I am proud to see our workers all charged up and ready to fight elections and ready to fight under Congress banner. Now we will not have to compromise,” he said.
Congress’ long-time ally DMK had walked out of the UPA coalition in March 2013, citing the emotive Sri lankan Tamils issue even as the Dravidian major had spurned the national party’s offers for a pre-poll alliance this year.
Voicing confidence that his party will put up a good show in the April 24 Lok Sabha polls, Gandhi said Congress would not confine its fight to this LS polls alone but also fight and come to power in the state in the future.
The party was last routed in the 1967 Assembly elections when DMK under its founder C N Annadurai first wrested power from the national party and has been piggybacking on either DMK or AIADMK.
Taking a dig at BJP’s Prime Ministerial nominee Narendra Modi, Gandhi said that while he talks of the Gujarat model of development, he should witness the Tamil Nadu model,indicating that the southern state fared better, a claim made by Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.
“Tamil Nadu has not only shown India but the rest of the world what Tamil people are capable of doing. Mr Modi talks about the Gujarat model, maybe he should come here and take a look at the Tamil (Nadu) model,” he said.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday commuted death sentence of two convicts in 2002 in American Center attack case, which took place in Kolkata.
The apex court ordered main mastermind in the terror case Aftab Ahmad Ansari to remain behind bars till end of his life.
Another convict Jamiluddin Nasir to remain behind the bars for at least 30 years without remission, the SC said.
Six policemen were killed in the attack in front of the American Center Jan 22, 2002.
Earlier, the Calcutta High Court had upheld the death sentence to Ansari and Nasir.
Ansari, Nasir and five others had appealed to the High Court against the death sentence given to them by a city sessions court.
Ansari and Nasir’s death sentence was upheld while the punishment of Hasrat Alam, Sakib Akhtar and Bobby was reduced to life sentence. The remaining two Rehan Alam alias Monty and Adil Hossain were freed due to lack of evidence.
Former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was on Wednesday sent to judicial custody till May 23 after he refused to furnish a bail bond in connection with a criminal defamation complaint filed against him by BJP leader Nitin Gadkari.