Bandh against HC’s stay order on BC quota underway in Telangana
Hyderabad (PTI): A statewide bandh protesting against the High Court's stay order on 42 per cent quota to BCs in local body polls began in Telangana on Saturday, with all political parties, including the ruling Congress supporting the agitation.
Barring emergency and essential services, all the sectors were requested to cooperate with the bandh.
The Telangana High Court on October 9 issued an interim stay against a Government Order providing 42 per cent BC reservation in local body elections.
Leaders of various political parties and BC organisations are holding dharnas in front of Telangana State Road Transport Corporation bus depots preventing vehicles from coming out.
BJP Lok Sabha member Etala Rajender participated in the bandh at Jubilee Bus Station here.
A senior official of TGRTC said some disruption of services was witnessed during the early hours at bus stations and depots.
The ruling Congress in Telangana on Friday extended its support to the bandh call given by Telangana Backward Class Joint Action Committee.
The BJP and BRS have also extended their support to the bandh call.
"I appeal to everyone — the general public and all communities — to participate in the BC bandh on October 18, which is being organised across the state against the BJP," Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said in a statement.
R Krishnaiah, Chairman of BC JAC and BJP Rajya Sabha member, had earlier sought support from all political parties and civil society organisations for the bandh.
Telangana Director General of Police B Shivadhar Reddy in a statement on Friday appealed to all organisations to observe the bandh peacefully without causing any inconvenience to the public.
He warned that if anyone resorts to untoward or illegal activities in the name of bandh, stringent action will be taken.
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Thane court sentences man to life imprisonment for bludgeoning wife to death
Thane (PTI): A court in Maharashtra's Thane district sentenced a man to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of his wife, whom he attacked 22 times with a hammer in front of his children, based on the testimony of his 13-year-old daughter.
Principal district and sessions judge S B Agrawal found the accused, Vijay Mishra alias Samir Shaikh, guilty under sections 302 (murder) and 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The court sentenced him to life imprisonment and a three-year term to be served concurrently. It also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh for the murder charge and an additional Rs 10,000 for injuring his minor daughter and mother-in-law, who had tried to intervene during the fatal attack.
Additional public prosecutor Rashmi Kshirsagar informed that 11 prosecution witnesses, including the accused's daughter, were examined during the trial.
According to the prosecution, the victim, Zarin Israr Ansari, had been living with her mother, along with her daughter and a six-year-old son, for two years following prolonged domestic violence and disputes.
The accused, who had converted to Islam to marry Zarin 14 years prior, harboured deep resentment over her living separately and suspected her character.
On the afternoon of September 28, 2023, the accused stormed into his mother-in-law's residence in Mumbra with a hammer concealed in a bag, cornered his wife on the mezzanine floor, dragged her down, locked the main door, and repeatedly bludgeoned her.
The court defended the testimony of the victim's 13-year-old daughter, who was an eyewitness and had sustained injuries herself, noting that minor inconsistencies do not degrade the core truth of an innocent child's account:
"...they are not of any significant consequence since it is not expected from such a witness of 10 years of age to have a total photographic memory to be reproduced before the court. But as far as the incident is concerned, evidence of this witness is totally free from any reasonable doubt."
The prosecution had also stated that the accused had locked his family inside and threatened a neighbour by brandishing a "bomb-like thing" and declaring he would blow up the building if anyone intervened.
The victim's brother eventually broke down the latched door, disarmed the accused, and pinned him down until the police arrived.
The post-mortem report revealed that the victim had suffered 22 brutal injuries and had died due to severe head wounds.
