
India acquits 12 in deadly 2006 train blasts case
The men were convicted in 2015 of murder, conspiracy, and waging war against the country over the attacks during the evening rush hour of July 11, 2006 that also injured more than 800 people.
Five were sentenced to death, while the other seven were given life imprisonment.
But, 10 years later, the Bombay High Court set aside a lower court's verdict and acquitted the 12 men.
Justices Anil Kilor and Shyam Chandak said in their judgement, the prosecution had "utterly failed to establish the offence beyond the reasonable doubt against the accused on each count".
The men were ordered to be released from jail "if they are not required to be detained in any other case".

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Express Tribune
7 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Gutka sales continue amidst police complicity
For any illegal activity, be it extortion, theft, or drug smuggling, strict enforcement of laws through the police is crucial to delineate the boundary between acceptable and deviant behaviours. However, when the law enforcers themselves are complicit in the crimes, little can be done to fix society. Recently, the Inspector General (IG) Sindh Police issued a circular to all divisional and district police officers, expressing concern over the widespread addiction to gutka among police personnel and instructing the initiation of rehabilitation efforts. The circular called for action against those who failed to comply, including potential dismissal from service. Syed Atif Ali, a resident of New Karachi, felt that the sale of gutka in the city was impossible without the complicity of local police. "Gutka is freely available at shops and paan stalls, and even Indian gutka is sold in the city," said Ali. Gul Muhammad Baloch, a social activist working in Karachi's Baldia Town, opined that although gutka was banned by the law, it was not yet perceived as a social evil. "As a result, its use remains common in homes and neighborhoods. Adults consume gutka in front of children, while people offer it to each other at social gatherings. Gutka should be recognized as a social vice. For this, an effective public awareness campaign should be launched with the involvement of schools, mosques, and community organizations," stressed Baloch. According to a report published by the World Health Organization (WHO), Pakistan ranks highest among countries in the Eastern Mediterranean region for the use of smokeless tobacco, which includes gutka, paan, betel nut (chhalia), and naswar. This widespread usage has contributed to a dangerous rise in cases of oral cancer, which has become the second most common cancer after breast cancer in Pakistan. Karachi is the most affected city in terms of the number of cases of oral cancer, with the majority of gutka users belonging to the lower middle-class areas of the city. The WHO report further claimed that after paan, gutka was the second most commonly used form of chewable tobacco in Karachi. Although the preparation, sale, and use of gutka is legally banned under the Sindh Prohibition of Preparation, Manufacturing, Storage, Sale and Use of Gutka and Manpuri Act, 2019, the law appears to be ineffective in practice. Even though a special task force consisting of police officials from various departments was established in March last year, its impact has been limited. Taha Ahmed Khan, Deputy Parliamentary Leader of MQM-Pakistan in the Sindh Assembly, revealed that the Sindh Assembly had passed a law against gutka however, there has been no meaningful enforcement. "It seems that there is no government presence in Karachi and the city is being run by mafias, including the water mafia, builder mafia, hydrant mafia, and gutka mafia," said Khan. Sadia Javed, a member of the Sindh Assembly from the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and spokesperson for the Sindh government, claimed that the Sindh government was considering amending the law to impose stricter penalties against the sale of gutka. "Tackling major gutka dealers is essential for curbing its spread. IG Sindh Police is personally monitoring the issue," said Javed. The Express Tribune attempted to contact Superintendent of Police (SP) Samiullah Soomro, a member of the task force, to inquire about the number of offenders arrested and punished over the past one year, however, he did not respond. Similarly, Sindh Police spokesperson Syed Saad Ali was also sent several questions via WhatsApp but he too did not send a reply.


Express Tribune
15 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Six crushed to death In India temple stampede
Listen to article At least six people were crushed to death at a popular Hindu temple in northern India's Uttarakhand state on Sunday, officials said, after a massive crowd surge. The stampede occurred on the stairway leading to the Mansa Devi temple in the Hindu holy city of Haridwar, on the banks of the Ganges river, and left many injured. "Six dead and more than 10 injured are admitted to the hospital," senior city police official Parmendra Dobhal told AFP. प्रदेश सरकार मनसा देवी मंदिर मार्ग पर हुए हृदय विदारक हादसे के घायलों और मृतकों के परिजनों के साथ खड़ी है। हादसे की मजिस्ट्रियल जांच के निर्देश दे दिए गए हैं। — Pushkar Singh Dhami (@pushkardhami) July 27, 2025 Uttarkhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said relief and rescue operations were underway. "I am constantly in touch with the local administration regarding this matter and continuous monitoring of the situation is being done," he said in a statement. Also Read: Drone debris disrupts trains, suspends flights in Volgograd Deadly stampedes and crowd crushes are a common occurrence at Indian religious festivals. In June, a sudden crowd surge at a Hindu festival in the coastal state of Odisha triggered a stampede that killed at least three people and injured several others. The previous month six people were crushed to death in the western state of Goa after thousands gathered for a popular fire-walking ritual. And in January, at least 30 people were killed in an early morning crush at the Kumbh Mela, a Hindu mega-festival in the northern city of Prayagraj.


Business Recorder
21 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Six crushed to death in India temple stampede
HARIDWAR: At least six people were crushed to death at a popular Hindu temple in northern India's Uttarakhand state on Sunday, officials said, after a massive crowd surge. The stampede occurred on the stairway leading to the Mansa Devi temple in the Hindu holy city of Haridwar, on the banks of the Ganges river, and left many injured. 'Six dead and more than 10 injured are admitted to the hospital,' senior city police official Parmendra Dobhal told AFP. Uttarkhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said relief and rescue operations were underway. 'I am constantly in touch with the local administration regarding this matter and continuous monitoring of the situation is being done,' he said in a statement. Three killed, 6 injured in stampede at Indian chariot festival Deadly stampedes and crowd crushes are a common occurrence at Indian religious festivals. In June, a sudden crowd surge at a Hindu festival in the coastal state of Odisha triggered a stampede that killed at least three people and injured several others. The previous month six people were crushed to death in the western state of Goa after thousands gathered for a popular fire-walking ritual. And in January, at least 30 people were killed in an early morning crush at the Kumbh Mela, a Hindu mega-festival in the northern city of Prayagraj.