Bhadohi (PTI): Like lakhs of people who thronged Prayagraj on Sunday to have a holy dip at the Sangam during the Maha Kumbh, 22-year-old Pravesh Yadav too arrived in the city to take part in the ritual bathing that many believe washes off one's sins.

However, destiny had other plans for Yadav, who was allegedly involved in liquor smuggling and had evaded arrest since July 2023, as he was apprehended by cops in the Civil Lines area of Prayagraj owing to strong police surveillance, a police official said on Sunday.

Elaborating further about the arrest, Superintendent of Police of Bhadohi Abhimanyu Manglik said that Pravesh Yadav is a resident of Alwar district of Rajasthan and was absconding for one-and-half years.

Mangalik said during the checking of vehicles on National Highway-19 on July 29, 2023, adulterated liquor meant for smuggling from Alwar to Bihar was recovered and Pradeep Yadav and Raj Domoliya were arrested from the Unj police station area in Bhadohi. However, Pravesh Yadav escaped from the spot. All are residents of Alwar district and were involved in smuggling illegal liquor in Bihar for a long time., he alleged.

A case was registered against them under sections 419 (Punishment for cheating by personation), 420 (Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 468 (Forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (Using as genuine a forged document or electronic record), 272 (Adulteration of food or drink intended for sale), 273 (Sale of noxious food or drink) and 207 (Fraudulent claim to property to prevent its seizure as forfeited or in execution) of the IPC, Excise Act and Gangster Act, police said.

The officer said that Yadav reached Prayagraj to take a holy dip but was arrested by police due to effective surveillance.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Kollam (Kerala) (PTI): A Kerala court has sentenced a 20-year-old man to 21 years of imprisonment for raping a minor girl after befriending her on a social media app.

Karunagappally Fast Track Special Court judge Rajeevan Vachal sentenced the convict to 21 years under the relevant provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, special public prosecutor (SPP) N C Premchandran said.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 1.1 lakh on the convict, the prosecutor said.

The incident occurred in 2024 when the accused befriended her on a social media app and then offered to take her to the Azheekal beach here.

However, instead of taking her to the beach, he took her to an isolated place behind the CHC hospital at Mynagappally here and raped her, the SPP said.

Following the incident, the girl attempted suicide, but was saved and then told the doctors what had happened, the prosecutor said.

The hospital authorities informed the police, who registered a case and launched an investigation.

The prosecutor said that seven witnesses were examined and 20 documents were submitted before the court to substantiate the guilt of the accused.