Latest news with #Kol
Hindustan Times
23-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
‘Cannibal', ‘skull collector' sentenced to life in double murder case
A special court of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday awarded life term to Raja Kolandar alias Ram Niranjan Kol, a former Central Ordnance Depot employee-turned-occult practitioner also accused of cannibalism and skull collection, and his accomplice Bachh Raj Kol in a double murder case dating back to 2000. The two were convicted for the abduction and murder of businessman Manoj Kumar Singh and his driver Ravi Srivastava in 2000. The court also imposed a penalty of ₹2.5 lakh each on the duo. The prosecution had sought death penalty, but the court ruled that the case did not meet the criteria for the 'rarest of the rare' category due to insufficient evidence. Consequently, it sentenced the two to life imprisonment. This is the second life term awarded to them 25 years after the crime. Earlier, they were sentenced to life imprisonment in 2012 for murdering a journalist, Dhirendra Singh, in Allahabad (now Prayagraj) in 2000. During that investigation, 14 human skulls labelled with victims' names were exhumed from his pig farm in Pipri village of Prayagraj. Now aged 63, Kolandar is lodged in Lucknow district jail, while 40-year-old Bachh Raj Kol is incarcerated in Prayagraj jail. Raja was produced in court in person for the sentencing, whereas Bachh Raj joined the proceedings via video conference. The special judge of CBI court, Lucknow, Rohit Singh awarded life imprisonment to the duo under Section 396/34 of the Indian Penal Code (dacoity and murder with common intention) and a fine of ₹1 lakh each, ten years' rigorous imprisonment under sections 364 (abduction) and 412 (retaining stolen property) along with ₹1 lakh fine for each section, and seven years' imprisonment under Section 201 (destruction of evidence) and a fine of ₹50,000 each. The court order, a copy of which is with HT, stated that the incident was allegedly held on January 23, 2000, and the FIR was lodged regarding the disappearance of the businessman and car owner, and his driver at Naka police station on January 27, 2000. The CBI filed the chargesheet in court nearly after 14 months of investigation on March 21, 2001. The trial in court got delayed due to multiple reasons. Raja Kolandar's wife Phoolan Devi, who was also co-accused in the case, has already been awarded life sentence as her trial continued separately. Haunted record of Raja Kolandar: The conviction and sentence by the CBI court added to an already grisly criminal record of Raja Kolandar and his brother-in-law Bachh Raj Kol, who were earlier sentenced to life imprisonment by an Allahabad court in 2012 for the murder of journalist Dhirendra Singh. Originally named Ram Niranjan Kol, a resident of eastern Uttar Pradesh and belonging to the Kol tribe, a scheduled tribe in India, he worked at the Central Ordinance Store in Naini, Prayagraj, and was also active in politics. His wife was elected as a district panchayat member. Raja was into money-lending business which helped him improve his financial condition. Known for his eccentric and delusional personality, he believed himself to be a king who could punish anyone he disliked. He named his wife Phoolan Devi, and his sons Adalat and Zamanat. He was accused of being a cannibal and skull collector after multiple skulls were recovered from his pig farm. It was alleged that he used to cut off the heads and make soup out of the brain and drink it. Raja and his brother-in-law were booked for kidnapping and murdering Manoj Kumar Singh, 33, and his driver Ravi Srivastava, 25 years ago in the year 2000. To recall, Manoj had left Lucknow for Rewa (Madhya Pradesh) in his car along with his driver Ravi. En route, they picked up six passengers, including a woman, from Charbagh railway station area. Their last known location was Manoj's house in Rae Bareli's Harchandpur where they took a halt on their way to Allahabad on January 23, 2000. Manoj's brother testified that he and his brother spoke to the duo when they stopped, and noticed that one of the passengers was ill. The vehicle and its occupants were never seen again. Three days later, a missing report was filed. The mutilated bodies of Manoj and Ravi were found in Shankargarh forest area in Prayagraj. The brother identified a brown coat, allegedly belonging to Manoj, which was recovered from the residence of Raja Kolandar, with a label from a Rae Bareli tailor. He also testified that the accused, his wife Phoolan Devi and others were present in the vehicle. The full horror came to light after the murder of journalist Dhirendra Singh surfaced following the disappearance of Manoj and Ravi. His decapitated body was recovered near Rewa from the UP-MP border. Dhirendra's head was not found even after searching the entire forest where his body was recovered. Investigation revealed that Raja was seen on a bike with Dhirendra on the day he disappeared. Raja was called in for questioning regarding the disappearance of the journalist, and he admitted to killing Dhirendra Singh first. However, it was later established that they had only killed Manoj and Ravi.
NZ Herald
11-05-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
Hospitality Duo Behind Kol Announce New Owners Of The Ponsonby Restaurant
Ponsonby favourite Kol is entering another new chapter, as hospitality duo Sapan and Ruchi Parikh take over the reins from Sid and Chand Sahrawat. One of Ponsonby's most recognised restaurants, Kol, will officially change hands on May 21. Hospitality couple Ruchi and Sapan Parikh – already behind North Shore favourites Red Fort and Spice Rack – will take over from Sid and Chand Sahrawat, continuing the flame-fired Indian concept while introducing a few of their own dishes to the menu. The name and fitout will remain the same. This comes one month after the Sahrawats announced the imminent closure of Kol, citing a tough business environment. The restaurant was due to close on Sunday, May 11. The couple said at the time: 'Although Kol was initially a very busy, viable business, the past few months have been tough, and while we've made the decision to close, we're glad we tried – you never know if an idea will succeed unless you try', says Sid. 'We feel the space has potential and would suit other concepts.' The original plan was to transform Kol into an experimental concept space – Kol Lab – but when the Parikhs submitted their proposal, offering to keep the team, the restaurant's identity, and build on its foundations, the idea of a transition rather than a reset took shape. 'There's a difference between mentoring someone and setting them up to succeed,' Chand explains. 'When we saw Ruchi and Sapan's experience and their approach to Kol, it felt like the right fit.' The couple, already well regarded within Auckland's Indian community, frequently cater major events and are known for their consistent, high-quality cooking. Sid and Chand were familiar with their work. 'We're particular about Indian food, and theirs is genuinely excellent,' says Sid. 'Even Chand's mum approves.' Key to the decision was the Parikhs' commitment to retaining the existing Kol team – including head chef Minwoo Kim and bar manager Julia Benton. 'That meant everything to us,' says Sid. 'It ensures the continuity our regulars expect.' Having made the tough decision to close Kol, why are the Sahrawats confident the Parikhs will succeed in the same location? 'We're confident that Ruchi and Sapan will take what we've built at Kol and not only maintain it, but also evolve it in exciting new ways,' says Chand. 'They already run two very busy restaurants and have the operational flexibility to adapt more easily to the current economic climate. For us, the proximity to Cassia posed some challenges, but they don't have those constraints, which means they have far more freedom in shaping their offering. 'We've always approached the business from a chef-led and creative standpoint, they bring a more operations-focused perspective. With our current chefs maintaining food standards and with our ongoing mentorship and support, we believe their past experience and new learnings will allow Kol to thrive in this new phase.' While the concept will remain anchored in Kol's signature style, the Parikhs plan to introduce new elements, along with a takeaway and delivery offering later in the year. 'We know how much Kol means to people,' says Ruchi. 'We're proud to be building on what's been created here, and excited to contribute something of our own to its future.' 'It's an honour to take the reins of a restaurant with such a talented team,' says Ruchi. 'We're keeping the heart of Kol intact, but there are definitely some delicious new dishes on the horizon.' Find Kol at 23 Ponsonby Rd, Ponsonby. More on food From new openings to fresh discoveries.
Telegraph
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Anyone for a meat-tini? The rise of spirits infused with beef, oysters and raw turkey
In mid-March, Snowdonia Wagyu took a step beyond its usual briskets and burgers and launched a beef-infused rum. The following week, Hong Kong cocktail bar Tell Camellia went viral after posting an Instagram reel in which its bartender made an oyster gin. The secret? Blending the shellfish into a cream-coloured, gin-based paste before distillation. And then, on an April episode of popular food podcast Off Menu, Mexican-born, London-based chef Santiago Lastra ruffled feathers by championing 'mezcal de pechuga', an agave spirit distilled with raw turkey breast. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tell Camellia (@tellcamellia) Why the sudden uptick in spirits infused with poultry, game and seafood? While consommé-based cocktails (known as 'stocktails') have been around since the 1950s, and 'fat-washing' became popular among bartenders in the noughties, we're increasingly seeing the spirits themselves get the meat and mollusc treatment. I've come to the Mezcaleria in the basement of Lastra's Michelin-starred Kol in Marylebone to sample a selection with bartender Liam Cullen. Fowl play 'Pechuga, particularly, can be difficult to get your head around,' admits Cullen. 'People's first question tends to be: is the turkey cooked? It's not.' And, although the heat and alcohol levels in the stills kill any harmful bacteria, Cullen concedes that pechuga might struggle to attract a following if it was invented today. 'Thankfully, it's a tradition – it has a track record.' Tradition, however, hasn't stopped distillers experimenting. Cullen has an Australian bottle of kangaroo pechuga behind the bar, and a Mexican crocodile pechuga on the menu. 'We like to say that most pechugas are similar in texture to a buttery Chardonnay,' he says of the creamy style, which is achieved when oils from the raw meat mingle with alcohol vapours. The meatiest mezcal on offer at Kol is 'pechuga de venado', distilled using cuts of white-tailed deer. It's got a gamey flavour, slightly fruity and is the most pleasant of the pechugas I have tried. Meanwhile Stateside, New Hampshire's Tamworth Distilling is also utilising venison in the production of a whiskey named Deerslayer. Since starting up five years ago, the small-batch distillery has been experimenting using a rotary evaporator (a piece of equipment commonly found in pharmaceutical laboratories) to create bourbons flavoured with deer, as well as crab or goose. Where's the beef? In Britain, Snowdonia Wagyu's rum has a similar richness to that of venison-infused spirits. It's unctuous and more savoury than you'd expect from a sugar-derived spirit, but not obviously beef-based. 'With rigorous food safety oversight, we distil the fat, offcuts and bones,' explains Sioned Pritchard, co-founder of the Caernarfon-based brand. 'These are elements rich in flavour, but often underused. This way, the rum aligns with our ongoing commitment to sustainable farming and whole-animal usage.' The limited-run rum, which Pritchard describes as 'buttery, nuanced and layered', began as a joke, 'one that quickly turned into a compelling challenge'. Yet the Welsh appear adept at such alchemy. In 2013, Conwy Brewery used roast lamb juices to whip up a porter called 'Sunday Toast', and Llanfairpwll Distillery hand-harvests local shellfish for its Menai Oyster Gin. Conceived during the 2020 lockdowns, theirs is one of the few 'oyster gins' to use oyster flesh (other examples, such as that from Scotland's Isle of Bute Distillery, use only the shells). 'It gives the gin a rockpool salinity,' explains head distiller Rob Laming, who points out that Llanfairpwll uses only deformed or 'ugly' oysters that would otherwise be discarded in line with the company's no-waste ethos. 'We were happy to try something new and use the flesh,' he explains. 'The response it most often gets is disgust. Until they try it'. Shell shock The seafood-infused spirits perhaps seem less of a stretch. After all, caviar and vodka have long been close bedfellows (in 2019, Pernod Ricard even launched L'Orbe, a bottle of vodka with a caviar-filled tube at its centre). In Hong Kong, Tell Camellia's viral oyster gin was the result of owner Gagan Gurung's desire to bring 'a clean, briny essence' to his cocktails. 'Our goal was to concentrate as much flavour as possible,' Gurung explains, 'which required blending to break down the oyster meat thoroughly. We then slow-cooked the mixture to gently extract all the aromatic compounds, resulting in umami and rich oceanic flavours.' In the Netherlands, Oyester blitzes full oysters to create its Oyester 44 Maritime Vodka with similarly saline results. Distilled by drinks innovator Chris Liebau, he intends the spirit to be enjoyed alongside a plate of freshly shucked shellfish, and says oyster flesh was used as 'it adds a richness and creaminess that the shells alone couldn't'. Of the seafood-infused spirits I've tried, this is the best. I may not be sipping it from an oyster shell (as Liebau suggests), but it manages to brilliantly balance a briny character with sharp citrus notes. The Dutchman promises future seafood spirits, 'for now, though, I'm keeping my shucking knife close to my chest'. This initial offering is a smooth treat; it may be a 'meaty' spirit, but it doesn't feel gimmicky. Back at the Mezcaleria, this is what concerns Cullen. 'Interest is growing,' he says in pechuga and other meat-based spirits, 'but some London bars are now saying they make their own pechuga which is stretching the term. They may be putting meat in their mezcal and infusing it, but do they have a still? I just hope people don't start doing it for shock value.' Because, while bottles bearing 'contains mollusc' or 'contains raw meat product' warnings may seem sensationalist, most of these spirits – whether infused with uncooked poultry or high-grade beef – turn to meat and natural fats in pursuit of a creamier, more buttery texture than can be achieved using conventional ingredients or methods. Most succeed. So, if you can get over their provenance, only one question remains: will your future cocktail order be shaken, stirred or medium-rare?
NZ Herald
22-04-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
Ponsonby Road Bistro to close in May, latest Ponsonby eatery to close
After working for more than a decade at some of the world's best restaurants, Russell first opened a Ponsonby Rd restaurant in 2001, launching Rocco with Auckland restaurateur Mark Wallbank. The pair then opened Magnum, which morphed into Ponsonby Road Bistro in 2007. When Wallbank moved on to other establishments in 2011, Russell's wife, Gina, gradually came on board. Wallbank opened The Blue Breeze Inn at Ponsonby Central in 2013. Russell says he and Gina will be taking time to chill a little this year and are working on some new business ideas outside of hospitality to launch next year. Ponsonby Road Bistro will have its last dinner service on May 3. In an Instagram post, the Russells thanked all their 'wonderful customers and the incredible staff who've brought their own magic to our restaurant'. They said the last dinner service will be on May 3 and they will honour all outstanding vouchers up to this date. 'Come in for one last meal, one last glass, one last memory,' they wrote, saying their time at the restaurant has been 'an unforgettable ride'. Earlier this month, Sid and Chand Sahrawat announced they were closing their restaurant Kol, citing challenging trading conditions. 'The past few months have been tough,' they said in a statement, 'and while we've made the decision to close, we're glad we tried - you never know if an idea will succeed unless you try.' Kol will host its last dinner service on Mother's Day. They plan to set up a 'hospitality incubator' in the Kol premises to help new ventures test the market before launching out on their own. In July last year, one of Auckland's most famous restaurants, SPQR, was placed in liquidation. That same month, Chapel Bar & Bistro, also in Ponsonby, was placed in receivership after it failed to repay a loan to its co-owner worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. In December, Michael and Annette Dearth announced they were closing fine-dining CBD restaurant The Grove, after 20 years. 'There's a lot of reasons why we've made this decision,' Michael Dearth told the Herald 's Shayne Currie. 'It's definitely been floating around because it's been such a fight – from the pandemic, to so much uncertainty [with the] global financial crisis and extreme weather events where suddenly vegetables cost more than protein.' In February, Britomart's Bar Non Solo and MoVida announced they were closing, with the owners wanting to explore new opportunities. In March, popular Auckland eatery Monsoon Poon revealed it is set to close after 20 years in business. It will have its last service on May 3, the same day as Ponsonby Road Bistro will shut its doors for the last time. Owner Nicola Richards announced the news with 'mixed emotions', and said the closure came in the wake of the building on the corner of Custom St West and Lower Hobson St in downtown Auckland being sold and set for demolition. Last year, Madame George and Pilkingtons Restaurant and Bar also closed.
The Print
21-04-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Tribal people in UP did not have voting rights before BJP came to power in state: Adityanath
The Vantangiyas (community) also did not have any rights in 55 villages and the situation was becoming a threat to the security of the nation, he said, adding that even though the nation gained independence in 1947, before 2017, the forest department and the policemen used to exploit them. Speaking at a felicitation function of Shri Guru Gorakhnath Swasthya Seva Yatra 5.0 held in Lucknow, he said, 'The tribal people did not have the right to vote before 2017. There was no ration card and connectivity facility.' 'After the BJP government came to power, every facility was provided to all the tribes including Tharu, Musahar, Kol and Gond. Not only this, before this some missionaries and leftists used to brainwash the tribal society,' he said. Lucknow, Apr 21 (PTI) Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said tribal people in Uttar Pradesh did not have the right to vote before the BJP came into power in the state, and leftists and missionaries used to 'brainwash' them. 'When the BJP government came in 2017, these villages were recognised as revenue villages and gradually all the schemes were implemented there,' the chief minister said. He said that many of the tribal people came out to vote for the first time in the 2022 and 2024 elections. 'Now every village has a road, every house has electricity, everyone has got houses. Anganwadi centres have been opened, and schools and health centres are being built. Every facility including ration, Ayushman Yojana and pension has reached them.' Talking about the Yatra, he said that such religious yatras are not just a means of faith, but also a means of binding society together. The programme commenced with Adityanath and chief guest Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale offering flowers to Lord Shri Dhanvantari, Bharat Mata, Guru Gorakhnath and Swami Vivekananda, the statement read. 'India is a land of service. Service and sacrifice are its identity,' Hosabale said, adding that that the hands which render service are more important than the lips, which offer prayers. The doctors engaged in this service are doing such commendable work, he said. 'We should show gratitude towards the people who are lagging behind in the mainstream of development,' he said. Describing the spirit of service, he said, 'There is no wall in the spirit of service. There is no discrimination. During the time of Corona, poor labourers were coming on foot from far and wide. Even when they were troubled, they did not forget their polite and dignified behaviour. The society also expressed gratitude towards them and served them at various places. They were given food and shelter. This is the reason that at that time, while there were riots for food in many countries, India remained untouched (by riots).' He said that in the Maha Kumbh of Prayagraj also, with a view to service, the eyes of thousands of people were examined by organizing Netra Kumbh. They were given medicines and glasses. Such thoughts come only when a sense of belonging towards the society is awakened. PTI NAV NB NB This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
