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Time of India
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Mandals & moortikars' hopes raised as govt favours sea immersion of large idols
Mumbai: The hopes of Ganeshotsav mandals and PoP moortikars were raised of having a resolution for the PoP conundrum in sight as govt submitted its immersion policy in an affidavit in HC on Wednesday stating that large idols of sarvajanik Ganeshotsav mandals can be immersed in the traditional manner in the sea with all necessary environmental precautions in place. Govt said the sanctity of the 125-year-old festival, including idol immersion, will be preserved. The 10-day festival begins on Aug 27. The Lalbaug-Parel belt and Khetwadi install large idols over 20ft; Mumbaicha Maharaja of Khetwadi 11th Lane rises up to 38ft, the tallest in Maharashtra. It is impossible to immerse whole in any artificial tank. Mandal president Hemant Dixit said, "I have seen authorities discussing a PoP ban since 2007. But I was confident our govt would not allow Maharashtra's most important festival to be jeopardised. How will you carve thousands of sarvajanik idols from clay? And how many artificial tanks will you build for immersion? I am happy that after declaring Ganeshotsav as the state festival, govt is defending our concerns before HC. " Swapnil Parab, secretary of Ganesh Gully mandal in Lalbaug, whose idol stands 22ft tall, said, "Since the ban on PoP, our preparation had slowed down. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Dolly Parton, 79, Takes off Her Makeup and Leaves Us Without Words The Noodle Box Undo Now that the hurdles are being removed, we are excited to celebrate." You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai Vikas Sawant, mandal treasurer of the 21ft Chinchpokli Cha Chintamani, said, "I am glad all worries of mandals are easing. Artisans were also anxious about immersion. Now we can move forward with preparations." Naresh Dahibawkar, president of Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti, whose suggestions helped govt determine its stance, said, "I am happy that our fears were heeded and a solution is near. Ganpati visarjan is also celebrated in a grand manner with tall idols being led to Girgaum Chowpatty and Dadar. The court's approval will pave the way for this tradition to continue." Moortikars are anxious for visarjan nod to be finalised since business hinges on it. "We are keenly awaiting the decision," said moortikar Viful Jadhav of Ganesh Arts, Goregaon. PoP moortikar Ravindra Vispute echoed his views. "Due to the initial ban, our workshop opened late and orders were few," he said.
Time of India
04-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
3 bros get life term for 2014 murder of Agra market association head
Agra: A court in Agra on Wednesday sentenced three brothers to life imprisonment for the 2014 murder of a 49-year-old man, linked to an old rivalry. Additional district govt counsel Hemant Dixit said the incident took place on Nov 28, 2014, when Hemandas Jaswani, president of the Raja Mandi Cloth Market Association—one of the city's key trade bodies—was shot dead by motorcycle-borne assailants near Govind Nagar around 2pm while on his way to his shop in Raja Mandi. A case was registered at Lohamandi police station under IPC sections 302 (murder), 120B (criminal conspiracy), 504, 506, and relevant sections of the Arms Act against Pranjal, Chetan, and Praveen. Dixit added that Pranjal had previously attempted to kill Hemandas in 2009 and was jailed for it. The trio was arrested on Dec12, 2014, and subsequently a chargesheet was filed on Sept 9, 2015. Additional district and sessions judge Pushkar Upadhyay found all three guilty of murder and imposed a fine of Rs 60,000 on each. Failure to pay would result in an additional three months' imprisonment.
Hindustan Times
30-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
33 get five-year jail in 1990 Agra violence case
Additional session judge at a special SC/ST court in Agra, Pushkar Upadhyay, on Friday sentenced 33 accused to five-year jail term in a 1990 case involving a violent attack by members of the Jat community on a Dalit locality in Akola Udar village under the Fatehpur Sikri area of the district. The incident left at least 100 people injured. The court held the accused guilty under sections 3(1)(x) of SC/ST Act, 452 (house trespass), 148 (rioting with deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 427 (damage to property) and 504 (intentional insult provoking breach of peace) of the Indian Penal Code. Giving this information, Hemant Dixit, additional district government counsel (ADGC), criminal, special court (SC/ST Act), Agra, said a penalty of ₹10,000 each was also imposed on the guilty for offences under the SC/ST Act. Earlier on May 28, the court in its order had held 35 accused guilty. Of them, two accused did not turn up in the court and thus non-bailable warrants were issued against them. The court heard arguments from both prosecution and defence counsel on Friday and delivered its order on quantum of punishment. Out of the 74 people originally charge-sheeted in 1994, 22 died during the course of litigation, while 15 were acquitted due to lack of evidence. Two of the accused who were minors at the time of the incident were tried in a juvenile court. The chargesheet was filed in 1994 in a case registered at Kagarol police station of Agra in connection with the incident that took place on June 24, 1990, three days after the infamous Panwari case, another caste-based conflict in Agra district. The case was registered at the Kagarol police station after the dominant Jat community members allegedly attacked Dalits residing in Akola Udar village in Fatehpur Sikri area. The counsel for victims, Shamsher Singh, who was then a child, claimed to have seen his father facing head injuries in the attack. He was one of around 100 people injured. Earlier on June 21, 1990, there was a dispute in Agra's Panwari village over the 'baraat' (wedding procession) of a Dalit family. Administration and police intervened and provided protection to the baraatis amidst opposition. The violence later spread to other villages, with Akola Udar being one of them. Curfew was imposed in the aftermath of the violence. As the judgment came on Friday, it also brought back the memories of what happened in Agra around 35 years ago when the district was plagued by caste violence that took place in the presence of police and district administration officials. 'It all began over a 'barat'during a marriage at house of Chokhelal, a villager from Jatav community in Panwari village. Dominant Jat community members were against it while Jatav community members were adamant on it and the issue could not be resolved. Police and district administration reached Panwari village to resolve the issue,' recollects senior local journalist SP Singh who was in Panwari village on June 21, 1990. 'The barat reached the house but the village was surrounded by angry Jat community members while police and administrative officials were inside the village. Jats from nearby districts of Mathura and Bharatpur also moved in while Dalits from Agra moved towards the village,' claims Singh. 'The stalemate continued with the then DM and the SSP on the spot. In the firing that took place, two members of the Jat community died and the army was called,' he further claims. 'The incident polarised the dalit politics of Agra region after the Panwari incident. Mayawati, the then MP from Bijnor, visited Agra and raised the Panwari case in Parliament. The then leader of opposition in Lok Sabha, Rajiv Gandhi also visited Agra,' Singh claims.
Time of India
29-05-2025
- Time of India
35 convicted in Agra for attack on Dalit wedding procession in 1990
Image used is for representational purposes only AGRA: An Agra court on Wednesday convicted 35 men in a 35-year-old case related to caste violence that erupted during a Dalit wedding procession in Panwari village in 1990. The special SC/ST court of judge Pushkar Upadhyay also acquitted 15 accused due to lack of evidence. The quantum of punishment in the case will be delivered on Friday. Additional district govt counsel Hemant Dixit said 22 of the original 72 accused died during the prolonged trial. On June 21, 1990, a group of Jat men confronted a Dalit wedding procession, objecting to the groom riding a horse, in Panwari village in Agra.
Hindustan Times
28-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
SC/ST court convicts 35 in 1990 Agra violence
A special SC/ST court in Agra has convicted 35 accused in a 1990 case involving a violent attack by members of the Jat community on a Dalit locality in Akola village under the Fatehpur Sikri area of the district. The incident left at least 100 people injured. Out of the 74 people originally charge-sheeted in 1994, 22 died during the course of litigation, while 15 were acquitted due to lack of evidence. Two of the accused who were minors at the time of the incident were tried in a juvenile court. Out of the 35 accused held guilty, three did not appear before the court on Wednesday. Non-bailable warrants (NBWs) were issued against them and they were sent to jail. The chargesheet was filed against 74 accused in 1994 in a case registered at Kagarol police station of Agra in connection with the incident that took place on June 24, 1990, three days after the infamous Panwari case, another caste-based conflict in Agra district. According to Hemant Dixit, additional district government counsel (ADGC), crime, special court (SC/ST Act), Agra, the case was registered at the Kagarol police station after the dominant Jat community members attacked Dalits residing in Akola village in Fatehpur Sikri area on June 24, 1990. The counsel for victims, Shamsher Singh, who was then a child, allegedly saw his father facing head injuries in the attack. He was one of around 100 people injured. Earlier on June 21, 1990, there was a dispute in Agra's Panwari village over the 'baraat' (wedding procession) of a Dalit family. Administration and police intervened and provided protection to the baraatis amidst opposition. In a clash that followed, a man was killed and the violence spread to other villages, with Akola being one of them. Curfew was imposed in the aftermath of the violence. 'The court has held the accused guilty under sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting with deadly weapons), 452 (house trespass), 504 (insult to provoke breach of peace), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 427 (damage to property) of the IPC, and under the SC/ST Act,' Dixit said, adding the court would hear arguments on the quantum of punishment on May 30.
