Latest news with #Vasantha
The Hindu
30-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
National child rights commission orders probe into alleged DYFI disruption of mid-day meal, assault of cook at school in Kerala's Kannur
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has ordered an inquiry into allegations that Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) activists disrupted a mid-day meal at Manathana Government School, Peravoor, Kannur, Kerala, after assaulting a cook and destroying food meant for students. According to a complaint filed by M. Arya Laxmi, state joint secretary, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), during an SFI-led strike on July 10, a group led by DYFI block joint secretary Akshaya Manoj allegedly entered the school promises and assaulted cook-cum-helper Vasantha while she was preparing food under the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM Poshan) scheme. The complainant alleged that the assault caused burn injuries to Ms. Vasantha and that food grains meant for children were destroyed. The complaint stated that the act was aimed at disrupting their statutory mid-day meal, thereby 'inducing hunger among children and compelling their early departure from school, impacting afternoon classes.' Ms. Arya said that such disruption violated the National Food Security Act 2013 and the Mid-Day Meal Rules 2015 which guarantee a free cooked meal to children up to Class 6 on all school working days. She observed that the alleged action undermined key objectives of the scheme. The complaint also flagged potential psychological harm to children. Ms. Arya in her complaint sought legal action against those involved. She also expressed apprehensions about a fair investigation under the Kerala government. The NCPCR has directed the District Collector to conduct an inquiry and take necessary action, with direct intimation to the complainant.
Time of India
10-07-2025
- Time of India
Police to question Sasthamangalam sub-registrar in Kowdiar land grab case
Thiruvananthapuram: Museum police probing Kowdiar land grab case will question Sasthamangalam sub-registrar to check his involvement in the fraud. Police decided to question him after getting clues about the involvement of some officials in the sub-registrar office in the fraud. Probe team believes that without help from officials in sub-registrar office such a huge fraud would not have taken place. Police have already arrested Merin Jacob, 27, of Puthu Parambil in Punalur and Vasantha, 76, of Cheenivila Palakkad Veedu at Karakulam in the case. The actual owner of the land, Dora Asariya Crips, has been living in America for the past 10 years and the registration was done in her absence. By forging documents, the accused registered the land in Merin's name and later it was sold for Rs 1.5 crore. The fraud came to light when the actual owner tried to pay property tax. According to the probe team, Merin and Vasantha were acting on the directions of Ananthapuri Manikantan, who was a Congress district committee member and a vendor. He is absconding. Police said Manikantan was in property registration for over 20 years and he has great influence in the sub-registrar office. "The role of the sub-registrar in the fraud is not yet confirmed, but the probe is on to verify it. The sub-registrar has to examine all the documents before registering a property, but he failed to recognise the forged documents. The accused forged all the documents and we think the vendor might have bribed the officials for it. They even created a fake Aadhaar card of the actual owner. A larger network might have been involved in the fraud and the probe will also check whether the accused have done this before as well," police said.
The Hindu
25-05-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Commission comes to rescue of man who lost wife to COVID-19
: The Tamil Nadu Information Commission has come to the rescue of a man who lost his wife during the COVID-19 pandemic. While his application seeking ex-gratia was rejected since Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain reaction (RT-PCR) test was not done, the Commission has directed the authorities to produce a copy of the medical report explaining the victim's admission and death. The petitioner, A. Muthu of Chennai, had written to the Greater Chennai Corporation and Chennai Collectorate officials seeking details of 425 applications for ex-gratia that were rejected as RT-PCR tests were not done. The applications were submitted by the kin of people who died due to coronavirus infection, he said. The Public Information Officer and First Appellate Authority rejected his plea filed under the Right to Information Act, 2005, saying the details sought pertained to third party information, and hence could not be disclosed. The petitioner moved an appeal before the TNIC contending his wife Vasantha was one among the 425 people who died due to the virus. He said she was admitted to the Government Stanley Medical College and Hospital with Covid-19 symptoms on May 18, 2020, and passed away 10 days later. After hearing both sides, the State Information Commissioner, P. Thamarai Kannan, agreed with the decision of the public authorities that details of the 425 applications could not be shared as they came under the category of third party information. However, he directed Personal Assistant (General) to the Collector, Chennai, to get a detailed medical report from the Resident Medical Officer of Government Stanley Hospital on the admission of Vasantha, and the treatment provided to her till her death. He warned that disciplinary action would be taken against the Public Information Officer, and suitable compensation awarded to the petitioner, if the information called for was not provided within the stipulated time. Mr. Kannan also directed that a compliance report to the order should be filed before the commission on May 29.
Indian Express
22-05-2025
- Indian Express
SIT to probe gang rape case involving Karnataka BJP MLA Munirathna
A special investigation team (SIT) has taken up the case against Karnataka BJP MLA Munirathna who has been accused by a 40-year-old woman of masterminding her gang rape, urinating on her and injecting her with a deadly virus. Police had booked Munirathna and his alleged accomplices, Vasantha, Channakeshawa and Kamal, on Tuesday. The SIT had been formed last year after Munirathna was accused of rape, blackmail, harassment, bribery and using casteist language, among other charges. A police officer said that as the SIT had already been probing Munirathna's criminal cases, the latest case, including all evidence and documents, was handed over to it. According to the FIR, the incident occurred on June 11, 2023, at the MLA's office. The woman, a BJP worker, alleged that Munirathna had influenced others to file false cases against her. The woman alleged that Munirathna had influenced others to file false cases against her. After being released from jail, she was told by Vasantha and Kamal that Munirathna would help clear the charges against her. She said that Vasantha and Kamal lured her to his office at his behest. Upon arrival, she was allegedly disrobed by Munirathna, Vasantha, and Channakeshawa. She alleged that the trio threatened to kill her son if she resisted. Munirathna then allegedly instructed the two men to rape her. In her statement, the woman also claimed that Munirathna urinated on her. Following this, an unidentified person reportedly entered with a white box and handed it to Munirathna, who then used a syringe from the box to inject her. He allegedly threatened to destroy her family if she spoke about the incident. The woman claimed that she was hospitalised in January and was found to have an incurable virus, prompting her to connect it with the 2023 incident. On Monday, the woman allegedly tried to die by suicide but survived and decided to report the matter to the police. The police on Tuesday booked the accused under sections 376D (gang rape), 270 (act likely to spread infection), 323 (causing hurt), 354 (assault on a woman), 504 (intentional insult), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 509 (outraging modesty) of the Indian Penal Code.
NDTV
22-05-2025
- NDTV
BJP MLA N Munirathna Charged With Gangrape Of Party Worker
Bengaluru: Karnataka Police has registered an FIR against BJP MLA N. Munirathna, who represents the RR Nagar Assembly constituency in Bengaluru, on the charges of orchestrating the gangrape of a party worker. The RMC Yard police filed the FIR in Bengaluru based on a complaint of the 40-year-old victim. In addition to MLA Munirathna, the FIR names his associates Vasantha, Channakeshava, Kamal and an unidentified individual as co-accused in the case. According to the FIR, the police recorded the victim's statement at the hospital in Bengaluru, where she is currently undergoing treatment. The victim alleged that in 2013, Munirathna accused her of prostitution and got her jailed out of personal vengeance. Upon her release, she claimed the MLA again targeted her by having his associates implicate her in a murder case, resulting in another imprisonment. She was granted bail and released within a month. On June 11, 2023, at around 7 p.m., the second and fourth accused allegedly visited the victim's home, promising that the pending cases against her would be withdrawn if she accompanied them to Munirathna's office. The complainant alleged that at Munirathna's office, she was sexually assaulted. The FIR read: "The MLA got her raped by the first, second, and third accused. Later, Munirathna urinated on her face and injected her with a substance, telling her that she would suffer for the rest of her life." The FIR adds that the MLA warned her not to reveal details of the incident and directed his associates to drop her back home. On January 14, 2025, the victim began experiencing severe abdominal pain. Following a blood test, doctors informed her that she had contracted a virus. This diagnosis was confirmed at Victoria Hospital. Subsequent medical consultations revealed that she was suffering from an incurable disease, according to the FIR. Unable to endure the pain, the victim allegedly consumed sleeping pills on the night of May 19. A neighbour found her and admitted her to the hospital. The police have registered the FIR under IPC Sections 376D (gang rape), 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 354 (assault or criminal force to outrage modesty), 504 (intentional insult), 506 (criminal intimidation), 509 (insulting the modesty of a woman), and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).
