In Noida TV anchor's death, police arrest colleague
Noida (UP), Dec 17: Police has arrested a senior colleague of the news anchor who allegedly fell to death from a fourth-floor Noida flat last week, officials said Monday.
Rahul Awasthi was detained for questioning but arrested Sunday after investigators found his statements to be "inconsistent", police said.
Radhika Kaushik, who hailed from Rajasthan, was in her flat in the Antriksh Forest Apartments in Sector 77 with Awasthi when the incident happened around 3.30 AM on December 14, police said.
The 25-year-old anchor's family suspects foul play in her death and a murder case was registered at Sector 49 police station, Station House Officer Girija Shankar Tripathi said.
"Awasthi was detained and questioned but there were inconsistencies in his statements over the two days. He was arrested yesterday but charged under IPC 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder)," Tripathi said.
According to officials, the private security guards have told investigators that the duo was seen together in the balcony moments before Kaushik's body was found on the ground in a pool of blood.
"This is contradictory to what Awasthi had told the police initially that he had visited her for dinner and was in the bathroom when she accidentally toppled over the railing of the balcony of her flat," the officials said.
SHO Tripathi said the viscera of Kaushik would be sent for test Tuesday to ascertain if she was drunk, adding that liquor bottles were found in the flat.
Asked about suspected foul play in the case, he said "the benefit of doubt should be given to victim and not the accused (who has been arrested)".
"The railing in the balcony is of low-height, there were other strings also tied up in the balcony. The railing is cylindrical and not flat in shape, which apparently does not make it an ideal place for anyone to sit on. So we are probing the matter," the official said.
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KSDL invites innovative technology to check sandalwood theft
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has invited farmers, scientists and organisations to come up with innovative technologies to prevent sandalwood theft in the state.
The state-owned Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL), which manufactures Mysuru Sandal Soap has also planned sandalwood cultivation, state Large and Medium Industries Minister M B Patil said on Thursday.
"In a bid to promote sandalwood cultivation, the KSDL has planned a major initiative. As part of it, farmers, scientists, and organisations possessing information on advanced equipment or innovative technologies to prevent sandalwood theft have been invited to approach KSDL and share the details," Patil said in a statement.
Those interested in this initiative will be given an opportunity to demonstrate such technologies before the organisation, the minister said, adding if the proposed solutions are found suitable and effective, steps will be taken for consideration and implementation.
Patil stated that the cost involved in deploying technologies aimed at preventing sandalwood theft would be borne by KSDL.
Further, with a view to encouraging sandalwood cultivation, four farmers who have supplied the highest quantity of sandalwood to KSDL will be honoured with awards on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar on June 4, he said.
On the same occasion, police personnel and forest officials who have made notable progress in apprehending sandalwood thieves and registering cases, along with members of the public who have provided credible information leading to such action, will also be recognised and rewarded, the minister added.
Patil observed that farmers cultivating sandalwood trees on their lands have been facing increasing threats due to theft in recent years. Illegal felling and theft of sandalwood trees have continued for decades.
Although stringent laws are in place to curb such activities, the number of cases resulting in convictions remains very low, he noted.
"In this context, it becomes the responsibility of the organisation to extend both legal and technical support to farmers and encourage them to take up sandalwood cultivation on a larger scale," he said.
According to him, over the past three years, KSDL has procured 174.5 metric tonne of sandalwood directly from farmers across the state and transferred Rs 6.08 crore to their respective accounts.
