National
Maha Dy CM Fadnavis slams Oppn for playing politics over Badlapur sexual assault case
Badlapur (Maharashtra), Aug 20 (IANS) Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday slammed the Opposition for demanding his resignation and also of the School Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar in the wake of sexual abuse of two four-year-old girls by a sweeper in a reputed school here.
Deputy CM Fadnavis, in his reaction to NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule’s statement, seeking his resignation, said, “The Opposition is trying to make political gains even from such a serious incident. They have lost their senses. The Opposition should not play politics, at least in such cases. Instead of giving relief to the people, they are playing politics.”
He reiterated that strict action will be taken against the accused involved in the sexual abuse by prosecuting the case in a fast-track court.
Deputy CM Fadnavis denied the allegation that the police delayed in registering the case after the incident that took place on August 13, saying that the action was taken immediately after the victims’ parents went to the police station.
“But, did anyone deliberately delay? Did someone cover up the matter? This will be investigated. Strict action will be taken against those responsible for delay in registration of the case after the SIT probe. We want to file a charge sheet in this matter as soon as possible and take the case to fast-track court,” he added.
On demand of the protesters for hanging the accused, Deputy CM Fadnavis said, “I will not say whether the protesting crowd has come spontaneously or because of some other reason. It can be an outburst of people’s emotions. People have demanded that the culprit be hanged immediately. But we are trying to do whatever can be done urgently as per the law. Police is trying to work sensitively in this regard. Care is being taken to prevent riots anywhere.”
Earlier, the protesters, who have gathered in large numbers at the Badlapur railway station, shouted slogans like “Hang the accused”.
The Rural Development Minister Girish Mahajan, who reached the railway station to meet the protesters, faced their anger.
“Protesters tried to throw a bottle at him (the Rural Development Minister). The police despite their repeated calls could not disperse the protesters. The security has been tightened at the railway station and around as police personnel from surrounding cities have been deployed.”
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde spoke to Thane Police Commissioner Ashutosh Dumbre and took stock of the situation.
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said that the incident of torture of school girls in Badlapur is “extremely unfortunate” and “frustrating”.
“A thorough inquiry into the incident has been ordered. Strict action will be taken against those found guilty, no one will be spared. This incident will be thoroughly investigated. A SIT has been formed under the leadership of IPS officer Aarti Singh. The accused who committed this unforgivable crime will not be spared.”
–IANS
sj/khz
National
Defence Ministry: Year 2025 will be year of reforms
On Wednesday, the Defence Ministry announced that 2025 will be designated as the “Year of Reforms,” with a primary focus on establishing integrated theatre commands to enhance collaboration among the three branches of the military.
These reforms are aimed at transforming the armed forces into a technologically advanced, combat-ready force capable of executing multi-domain integrated operations, the ministry stated.
The initiative will emphasize emerging domains such as cyber and space, alongside cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, hypersonics, and robotics.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh described the “Year of Reforms” as a pivotal milestone in the modernization of the armed forces.
“It will set the stage for significant advancements in the nation’s defense capabilities, ensuring the security and sovereignty of India in the face of 21st-century challenges,” he said.
National
A 3.2 magnitude tremor struck Gujarat’s Kutch district on Wednesday morning
A 3.2 magnitude tremor struck Gujarat’s Kutch district on Wednesday morning, according to the Institute of Seismological Research (ISR).
The district administration reported no casualties or property damage following the quake.
The tremor occurred at 10:24 am, with its epicenter located 23 kilometers north-northeast (NNE) of Bhachau, as per the Gandhinagar-based ISR.
Last month, the region experienced four seismic events exceeding a magnitude of 3, including a 3.2 magnitude tremor just three days ago, with its epicenter also near Bhachau.
Earlier tremors in the area included a 3.7 magnitude earthquake on December 23 and a 3.2 magnitude event on December 7, according to ISR reports.
Kutch was also jolted by a 4.0 magnitude earthquake on November 18, 2024. On November 15, a 4.2 magnitude quake hit Patan in north Gujarat, based on ISR data.
Gujarat is considered a high-risk earthquake zone, having experienced nine major earthquakes over the past 200 years, according to the Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority (GSDMA). The 2001 earthquake in Kutch, which occurred on January 26, was the third-largest and second-most destructive in India in the last two centuries, according to the GSDMA.
National
Diljit Dosanjh faces legal action over concert songs
Singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh’s much-anticipated New Year’s Eve concert in Ludhiana faced legal hurdles after a complaint was filed by Punditrao Dharenavar, an assistant professor from Chandigarh.
Following the complaint, the Deputy Director of the Women and Child Department, Government of Punjab, issued a formal notice to Ludhiana’s District Commissioner, urging them to prohibit Dosanjh from performing specific songs during his live show on December 31, 2024.
The notice specifically targets songs accused of promoting alcohol, including Patiala Peg, 5 Tara Theke, and Case (Jeeb Vicho Feem Labbiya), even if the lyrics are slightly modified. The complaint points to previous warnings issued to Dosanjh by various commissions advising against performing these controversial tracks.
Despite these warnings, the singer allegedly continues to perform the songs with minor alterations. Dharenavar raised serious concerns about the influence of such music on young audiences, especially when minors are present at live events.
Adding to the controversy, Dharenavar referenced a 2019 Punjab and Haryana High Court ruling, which directed law enforcement to ensure that songs promoting alcohol, drugs, or violence are not played at public events, including concerts. This ruling underscores the legal basis for the complaint and has further intensified the scrutiny surrounding the event.
National
UP Minister’s convoy overturns, 5 person injured
Five people sustained injuries when a vehicle in the convoy of Uttar Pradesh Minister and Nishad Party chief Sanjay Nishad overturned into a ditch near Januan village in the Khejuri Police Station area of Ballia district late last night.
Sanjay Nishad shared details of the incident, stating that the accident injured five party workers, including four women.
“I was traveling with the convoy to participate in the Constitutional Rights Yatra organized by the party on Tuesday night. Near Januan village in the Khejuri area, one of the vehicles following the convoy lost control while trying to avoid an animal and overturned into a ditch,” Nishad explained.
The injured individuals have been identified as Rakesh Nishad, Ramrati, Usha, Geeta, and Iravati Nishad.
Senior police and administrative officials quickly arrived at the scene following the incident to oversee the situation.
National
Suchir Balaji’s mother alleges Murder
The mother of Suchir Balaji, a 26-year-old former OpenAI researcher found dead after accusing the company of copyright violations, has alleged that her son was “murdered” and called for a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) probe.
Poornima Rao, Suchir’s mother, claimed her son’s death was a “cold-blooded murder” that authorities wrongly ruled as suicide. She further disclosed that a private autopsy report conflicted with the findings of the initial police investigation.
Rao alleged that her son’s apartment had been “ransacked” and cited evidence of a struggle in the bathroom, including bloodstains that suggested he had been assaulted.
“We hired a private investigator and conducted a second autopsy to uncover the truth. The private autopsy does not confirm the cause of death stated by the police. Suchir’s apartment was ransacked, there were signs of a struggle in the bathroom, and it appears he was hit based on blood spots. This is a cold-blooded murder being misclassified as a suicide. Lobbying in San Francisco won’t deter us from seeking justice. We demand an FBI investigation,” Rao wrote on X.
Elon Musk reacted to Rao’s post, commenting, “This doesn’t seem like a suicide.”
Balaji was discovered dead in his San Francisco apartment months after accusing OpenAI of violating copyright laws during the development of ChatGPT, as reported by Fox News. Despite these claims, the San Francisco Police Department found no evidence of foul play and ruled the death a suicide.
On October 24, shortly before his death, Balaji voiced doubts about the “fair use” defense in generative artificial intelligence. “I recently participated in a NYT story about fair use and generative AI, and why I’m skeptical ‘fair use’ would be a plausible defense for a lot of generative AI products,” he wrote on X.
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