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The Print
12 hours ago
- Politics
- The Print
‘Grave suspicion but not enough proof'—what NIA court said as it acquitted Malegaon blast accused
The blast case was the first time the term 'saffron terror' was used. To this, the court said that 'terrorism has no religion, and no religion teaches violence. So, the court cannot proceed on public perception'. 'There is a grave degree of suspicion but not enough to convict the accused, hence the court is extending benefit of doubt,' the judge said. Mumbai: A special NIA (National Investigation Agency) court in Mumbai noted that the prosecution had failed to provide reliable evidence while acquitting seven accused, including former BJP MP Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, in the 2008 Malegaon blast case Thursday. Thakur was in tears after the verdict was pronounced and thanked the judge. She hailed the verdict as a victory of 'bhagwa' (saffron colour) and 'Hindutva'. 'I had lived my life as a sanyasi (ascetic) but these people called me a terrorist. My entire life was destroyed. In my own country, I have been called a terrorist. I am happy that there is some judge who is understanding. This is the victory of Hindutva,' she said. The court began the proceedings by going through the prosecution arguments and witnesses that were examined. On the night of 29 September, 2008, during the month of Ramazan and eve of Navratri, explosives believed to have been hidden in a motorcycle had gone off in Malegaon. Six persons were killed and scores injured. 'Prosecution proved that a blast occurred in Malegaon, but failed to prove that the bomb was placed in that motorcycle,' the judge said. The court said that though the prosecution was able to establish the deaths correctly, the number of injured, according to the evidence, stood at 95 and not 101 like the NIA had claimed. In some cases, the medical evidence was tampered with, so the total number of injured are 95, the court noted. It also debunked the linking of RDX to former army officer Lt Col Prasad Purohit, one of the accused. 'There is no evidence of storage, assembly and procurement of RDX by Purohit from Kashmir,' special judge A. K. Lahoti said. Apart from Thakur and Purohit, the other accused were Major Ramesh Upadhyay (retd), Ajay Rahirkar, Sudhakar Dwivedi, Sudhakar Chaturvedi, and Sameer Kulkarni. All were out on bail. The court did not admit the forensic evidence in the case as it said that after the blast, a mob had vandalised the scene. There was no collection of DNA or fingerprints from the scene immediately and the evidence sent to the forensic lab hence was contaminated. 'Hence, the result is inaccurate,' the judge said. On the bomb being placed in the motorcycle, the court found the theory doubtful. The chassis number is required to identify the motorcycle and it was wiped off, and there was no reliable evidence that Thakur owned it, it said. The court also did not find any concrete evidence regarding the meetings of Abhinav Bharat organisation. It further admitted that financial transactions took place between Rahirkar, Kulkarni and Purohit but the amount was used for personal work like house construction. 'Prosecution witnesses were also inconsistent and after considerable time lapse, doubts are raised on veracity of the prosecution version,' the judge said. 'Hence, there is no reliable evidence and there can be strong suspicion but mere suspicion is not enough,' the judge added. Ranjeet Sangale, advocate for one of the accused, told the media after the verdict: 'The court rejected the motorcycle theory. Also, certificates of the injured were fake and the court has ordered the DG ATS to probe who made these fake certificates. The court also asked for a probe into who planted the traces of RDX inside Sudhakar Chaturvedi's house. The NIA not ATS did not prove any evidence in this matter and hence the court has acquitted them all.' (Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui) Also Read: Hostile witnesses, Pragya Thakur & a 'Hindu Rashtra' plot—twists & turns in 2008 Malegaon blast case
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Moment thug sends terrified donkey over a cliff on 330ft zipline ride in front of laughing onlookers as cruel stunt sparks fury
Horrific animal cruelty footage shows a tour operator sending a helpless donkey over a cliff on a terrifying zipline ride. The brutal stunt was in the Dagestan region of southern Russia, aimed at attracting tourists. The tour operator named Ramazan posted the sickening footage captioned: 'The donkey flew faster than an eagle!' He then quickly deleted it as he was flooded with hostile comments. In 24 hours, the video received 5,000 furious posts. One said: 'This is not humour, this is sadism!' The strapped donkey was attached to the zipline as it was sent on a journey of terror down a mountain. People are heard laughing as the ass sped downwards. Reports say the zipline drop was more than 100 metres long [328ft] and there are fears the donkey was hurt at the end of the ride - though this is not shown on the video. The ride is advertised as a 40 second drop. Animal rights activists were quoted on social media saying the donkey 'may have suffered joint and spinal injuries as it landed', but the tour guide insisted the animal was unharmed. His team insisted: 'The animal is healthy and wasn't injured!' Worryingly, the donkey has not been seen since the ride from hell on the Matlas plateau in Dagestan's Khunzakhskiy district. One local media outlet jokingly reported: 'In Dagestan, they've opened a new way of air-delivering donkeys. Even a donkey rode a zipline — have you?' This report brought a deluge of hostile comments. 'This was completely unnecessary, why torture the poor animal for social media hype,' said one. Another posted: 'They must be held accountable. This is animal abuse.' One more wrote: 'Heartless, brainless people! They've got to be punished.' Another demanded: 'I hope the unknown individuals who sent the donkey flying on a zipline will be identified by the police.' Russian police were said to be carrying out a 'check' of the footage which was filmed one month ago but has only now emerged. But there was no evidence of criminal action against the owner, although in theory this would be an offence under Russian law with a fine of up to £2,750. If the donkey was injured it could lead to a three year prison sentence. The case recalls a donkey sent parasailing from a beach in resort Anapa attached to a speedboat 15 years ago, an incident of animal cruelty which sent shockwaves around the world. This donkey Anapka was lifted 140ft above the Azov sea. 'I didn't do it to advertise anything - I just did it for fun,' said Vasily Gorobets, then 32, the man who had been entrusted with caring for the donkey for three months when the parasailing incident was filmed by shocked tourists. The donkey was giving beach rides to Russian children for £1 a go when it was sent skywards. 'There were 20 people fixing the donkey into the parachute. It was just for fun, and everyone was laughing,' said Gorobets, who claimed he could not understand what the fuss was about. The donkey was aged 17 and later was sent to recuperate in the Kremlin horse stables thanks to then president Dmitry Medvedev. However, the animal was so traumatised it died less than a year after its horrific ordeal.
Express Tribune
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Khaled Anam laments lost sanctity of Muharram
With the tragedy of Karbala being commemorated throughout the first ten days of Muharram throughout the country, veteran actor Khaled Anam has gone on record to rue the fact that respect for the grief during the month has morphed into a vulgar, commercial event, shifting away from tradition and losing all sanctity. 'When finances enter the equation, things take a different direction,' observed the actor-singer during a recent appearance on the Off The School podcast. 'For example, people say that songs are haram - which is fine, I respect that - but [in Muharram] they have no qualms about adding a beat with a drum machine to a 'naat' or noha. These are not tunes!' Nothing that elders in the industry are no longer interested in educating their juniors, and that juniors do not wish to be schooled by anyone to begin with ('They just say that they are earning millions on YouTube and that they know better'), Anam continued, 'I see artists filming so many videos with sand on the ground and fire in the background to commemorate Karbala - but this is not a film!' According to Anam, the entertainment industry employed a different approach to Muharram before this race for commercialisation took root. 'Back in the day, PTV transmissions would air programmes that reflected an air of solemnity and respect with people dressed in black sherwanis,' he recalled. The actor remains convinced that this such respectful observation for Muharram traditions is now a lost art. 'Lamentation has become commercialised,' he stated. Letting his anger seep through, he went on to add, 'Karbala and Muharram are both now an event like any other. Just like we have Ramazan transmissions, there are now Muharram transmissions, and you have to release this album or that album just for the occasion.' Anam went on to note that record companies now dictate which 'naats' are recorded - in his view, something that should never have become mainstream. Taking aim at artists who make an effort to look good as they film videos to mark the occasion, the screen veteran added witheringly, waving his arms to make illustrated point, 'You cannot get your hair blow-dried and a have face full of makeup as you recite these nohas with exaggerated gestures!' Summing up his aversion to the modern day approach to Muharram, Anam concluded, 'People need to make the occasion attractive without losing the message. The sanctity has been lost.' Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.
Rudaw Net
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Kurdish farmer disappears in Kirkuk, ISIS suspected
Also in Iraq Sadr reaffirms boycott of Iraqi election Iraq installs speed cameras, records 10,000 violations in first day Erbil-Kirkuk road reopens after Turkmen protests over appointment of Kurdish official Makhmour camp residents warn of 'humanitarian catastrophe' amid blockade A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A Kurdish farmer disappeared Wednesday night in Iraq's disputed Kirkuk province, leaving his family and authorities perplexed after his cash and phone were found untouched in his truck. The suspected abduction of the father of four underscored the critical security vacuum in the region. Forty-year-old Ari Ramazan disappeared in Prde (Altun Kupri) sub-district, 40 kilometers northwest of Kirkuk city, while returning from his orchard, according to his family who suspect the Islamic State (ISIS) is responsible. 'He is a farmer and all farmers this year are not doing well and their crops haven't made money. He was at his orchard and when he was leaving, they kidnapped him. He is married and has four children. This has become his daily route,' Shwan Baqir, a relative of Ramazan, told Rudaw on Saturday. Ramazan's truck was found near the village of Kalur between Prde and Kirkuk city. His phone and six million Iraqi dinars were left untouched, according to information obtained by Rudaw. Locals said similar disappearances have happened in the past and blamed a security vacuum in the area. 'This is not the first time. Some time ago another man was kidnapped here and another was killed because there is no proper and good checkpoint in the area to prevent such acts,' Ahmed Yasin, another relative of Ramazan, said at the site where his truck was found. 'The area has fallen into a security vacuum between Peshmerga and the army. Both have neglected it and the people here have been harmed,' he added. Iraqi security forces started searching the area on Thursday. ISIS continues to pose a threat in disputed territories where there is an unclear division of responsibility between Iraqi forces and Kurdish Peshmerga. The militants periodically abduct people for ransom. Tensions are also high in the area this week after a Kurdish woman was named mayor of Prde sub-district. Supporters of the Iraqi Turkmen Front and the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) have staged protests.
Express Tribune
26-06-2025
- Express Tribune
Extortion ring dismantled: police
Police have dismantled a criminal network involved in a recent surge of extortion cases across the metropolis. One suspect was killed in an encounter, while several others have been apprehended. Police are intensifying efforts to capture remaining key suspects, including one suspect for whom a Red Notice has been issued. According to SSP SIU Muhammad Shoaib Memon, extortion-related crimes escalated in New Karachi starting March this year. Criminals targeted local businesses and residents, demanding money through threatening slips and WhatsApp calls. Those who resisted or delayed payments faced violent retaliation, including armed attacks on their shops, residences, and workplaces. During the last 10 days of Ramazan, a citizen, Abdul Jabbar, was fatally shot at a charity Dastarkhwan. On 16 July, a rickshaw driver was killed and six others injured in Surjani Town in another extortion-related shooting. The Special Investigation Unit (SIU) launched a targeted operation to dismantle the extortion network. Investigations revealed that Wasiullah Lakho, operating from Iran, was orchestrating the gang's activities through Abdul Samad Kathiawari.
