Alwar lynching: rights panel seeks report from Rajasthan govt
The Rajasthan State Human Rights Commission (RSHRC) has sought a report from the state government over the death of a 28-year-old man in Alwar district after he was allegedly thrashed by a mob on the suspicion cow-smuggling, a report said on July 27. A day earlier, the National Human Rights Commission sent a notice to the Rajasthan government over the death of Akbar Khan.
Taking cognisance of the alleged lynching case, the state human rights panel has sought a report from the Rajasthan Chief Secretary by August 8. RSHRC chairperson Justice Prakash Tantia has asked the state government to give its view point on effective prevention of such similar incidents considering the Supreme Court guidelines. Alwar District Collector and SP have also been asked to submit a factual report in the matter, the chairperson said, adding that the state government has been asked to send the report by August 8.
World Sikh body calls on India to end mob lynchings
The World Sikh Organisation of Canada on July 25 said it is gravely concerned by the increasing number of mob lynching attacks perpetrated by radical Hindutva terror groups and calls on the Indian government to do more to protect minorities. Attacks on religious minorities have been escalating since 2014. In the past two months, over 20 murders by radical Hindu “cow protector” lynch mobs of mainly Muslim victims have been reported across India.
Radical Hindutva groups have also forced Christian tribal groups and Dalits to “re-convert” to Hinduism and have attacked journalists, lawyers, and activists. Targeted attacks on minorities have steadily increased since Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) ascent to power in 2014. Many of the groups responsible for these attacks enjoy the protection and support of local authorities and the patronage of the BJP.
Two Kerala cops get death for custodial murder
A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on July 25 awarded the death sentence to two policemen who were convicted of torturing a 26-year-old man to death 13 years ago in a police station in Thiruvananthapuram, the Kerala capital. It is the first time that serving police officers have been awarded capital punishment in the southern state, lawyers said. Civil police officers K Jithakumar and SV Sreekumar, the main accused in the case, deserved no sympathy, Judge K Nazar observed, as he handed out capital punishment to the two men and also ordered them to pay a fine of ₹2 lakh each. As the judge delivered the verdict, both men broke down in the courtroom.
Prabhavati Amma, the 68-year-old mother of victim Udayakumar, who fought a lone battle for 13 years to secure justice in the case, heard the verdict with folded hands. The court also awarded three years’ imprisonment to three others accused – retired superintendent of police TK Haridas, and deputy superintendents of police Ajith Kumar and EK Sabu – for trying to cover up the crime and destroying evidence. All three were granted bail by the court. A day earlier, the five were found guilty by the court.
DMC issues notice against distribution of trishuls
An outfit styled as “Hindu United Front” openly distributed 371 trishuls on Gokalpur Nahar Road in East Delhi on July 15. Earlier, on July 1 it had distributed 251 trishuls in Sonia Vihar area. This outfit, which operates from B-437 Mukhya Chowk, Shahdra, is planning to distribute one lakh trishuls in the near future. All this activity takes place in the open on public land amid hate-filled speeches promoting hate and violence in society. Delhi Minorities Commission has issued a notice to DCP Shahdra to enquire about this activity, take legal action and file a report with the Commission.
Savarkar replaces Nehru in Goa’s Class 10 history book
A photograph of former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru has been dropped and replaced by freedom fighter Vinayak Savarkar in Class 10 Social Science books, the NSUI Goa chief was reported as saying on July 25. “It is very sad that the BJP has removed the photo of Pandit Nehru from the textbook and Savarkar’s photo has been included in the books of the Goa Education Authority,” Ahraz Mulla said.
“Tomorrow, they will remove the photo of Mahatma Gandhi and question what Congress has done in 60 years,” the Congress’ student wing leader said. “They have to ensure they do not change history, which our ancestors have given us and the fight which the Congress has carried out for Independence,” the National Students’ Union of India’s Goa head said at a press conference. The book titled “India and the Contemporary World II – Democratic Politics”, is a history and political science textbook and is part of the syllabus of students studying in Class 10 in Goa.
SC to hear right to worship case after mosque ruling
The Supreme Court on July 25 asked BJP leader Subramanian Swamy to mention his plea, seeking enforcement of what he said was his fundamental right to pray at the disputed site in Ayodhya, after it pronounces its verdict on the question of whether mosques are integral to Islam. On July 20, the special bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra reserved its order on a plea by Muslim groups of the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute seeking reconsideration by a larger bench on the observations made by it in a 1994 verdict that a mosque was not integral to Islam.
Swamy had moved the apex court seeking enforcement of his right earlier as well. Swamy, at whose instance the sensitive land dispute case in Ayodhya was fast-tracked, had filed a separate petition claiming right to offer prayer at the birthplace of Ram. The special bench of the apex court has a total of 14 appeals filed against the High Court judgment delivered in four civil suits.
Two more held in Gauri LANKESH murder case
A 27-year-old man from Hubbali, in north Karnataka, has been arrested by a Special Investigation Team of Karnataka Police for the murder of Gauri Lankesh after he was identified allegedly as the motorcyclist who brought the gunman to the journalist’s residence for the murder. The man has been identified as Ganesh Miskin, said to be working at an agarbatti-making facility. The SIT has arrested a second man from Hubbali, Amit Baddi, 28, after he was identified allegedly as the person who drove one of two cars that was used to support the killing of Lankesh, 55, outside her residence in Bengaluru in September last year.
SIT sources indicated the possibility of Miskin’s involvement in the murder of Prof M M Kalburgi. With the two arrests on Sunday, nine people have so far been arrested in the case. All nine arrested, including the alleged shooter, Parashuram Waghmare, 26, from Vijayapura district of Karnataka, are alleged to have been part of the core group of Hindutva group who executed the murder.
Over 1 lakh rape cases reported in India between 2014-16
As many as 1,10,333 cases of rape were registered in the country between 2014-16, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs in India, Kiren Rijiju reportedly said on July 18. Rijiju said in Rajya Sabha that 38,947 cases of rape were registered in 2016, while 34,651 cases of rape were registered in 2015 and 36,735 cases of rape were registered in 2014. Altogether 3,38,954 cases of crime against women were registered in 2016, as many as 3,29,243 cases of crime against women were registered in 2015 and 3,39,457 such cases were registered in 2014, he said in a written reply.
A Bill for strict penalty for rape of minor girls was tabled on July 16 in the Lok Sabha. The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2018 provides a deadline for every rape trial and that it should be completed within two months.