Palghar (PTI): An autorickshaw driver brutally assaulted a four-year-old boy by lifting him by his legs and slamming him to the ground before smashing his head on an iron rod following an argument with the minor's father in Maharashtra's Palghar district, police said on Tuesday.

The incident took place in a housing society at Vasai on Monday night, following which the accused was arrested, they said, adding that the critically-injured child is battling for life in a hospital.

The incident was captured on a CCTV camera.

"The brutal incident took place around 8 pm on Monday. A minor argument between the accused autorickshaw driver Sandeep Pawar and the child's father Atul Kondhare took a gruesome turn," senior police inspector Balkrishna Ghadigaonkar told PTI.

The boy, Vignesh, was playing with other children in a parked autorickshaw. The accused then walked up to the vehicle and pulled the child out by his legs. He then lifted the minor in the air and forcefully slammed him to the ground, he said.

"But the brutality did not stop there. Pawar then rushed inside the building while holding the child, and smashed his head against an iron rod before throwing him to the ground again. This was done solely to avenge a fight he had earlier with the boy's father over a minor issue," Ghadigaonkar added.

The child sustained critical head injuries and was rushed to a hospital in Mira Road. He has been admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) at the medical facility and is battling for life, he said.

Accused Pawar was later arrested and remanded in three days of police custody by a local court.

A case was registered against him under section 109 (1) (attempt to murder) and other sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, the police official said, adding that a probe into the incident is underway.

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Bengaluru: The Karnataka Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) has announced its annual awards for the year 2024, recognising journalists across various categories.

Vartha Bharati journalists Yogesh Mallur and Abdul Rehiman Talapady are among the awardees. Yogesh Mallur has been selected for the G. Narayanaswamy Award for Best Rural Reporting, while Abdul Rehiman Talapady has been honoured under the Tagadoor Kamalamma Veeregowda Award for reporting on farmers’ livelihoods and distress.

The awards will be presented at the 40th State Journalists’ Conference to be held in Bidar on April 11 and 12, KUWJ state president Shivanand Tagadur and general secretary G.C. Lokesh said in a release.

Details of the awards:

1. G. Narayanaswamy Award (Best Rural Report)
Yogesh Mallur, Vartha Bharati, Bengaluru
K.A. Ismail, Shakti, Kodagu

2. Patel Bhairahanumayya Award (Best Humanitarian Report)
Mallaiah Polampally, Kannada Prabha, Shahpur, Yadgir
Ravikumar Kaggannavara, Kannamma, Dharwad

3. Giridhar Award (Best Crime Report)
Basavaraja Kattimani, Kannada Prabha, Hunasagi, Yadgiri
P.K. Ravikumar, Vijayavani, Mysuru

4. B.S. Venkataram Award (Best Scoop Report)
Odesh Sakleshpur, Prajavani, Ramanagara
Mahesh Munnayyanvara Math, Prajavani, Mahalingapur, Bagalkot

5. K.A. Nettakalappa Award (Best Sports Report)
Narayanarao Deshpande, Samyukta Karnataka, Hubballi
Prasad Shettigar, Vijayavani, Bengaluru

6. Khadri Shamanna Award (Best Political Criticism)
Dayashankar Maili, Sudi Mula, Mysuru
Shankar Pagoji, Udayakala

7. Mangala M.C. Varghese Award (Weekly Newspaper Article)
M.G. Nayak, Sudha (Prajavani), Kumta, Uttara Kannada
Venkatesh S. Sampa, Editor, Sampada Saalu

8. Tagadoor Kamalamma Veeregowda Award (Farmers’ Life and Suffering)

Jayaramu, Samyukta Karnataka, Channarayapatna
Abdul Rehiman Talapady, Vartha Bharati, Mangaluru
Indira, Hospet Times, Hospet

9. R.L. Vasudevarao Award (Forest Report)
P. Paramesh, Sudi Mula, Manvi, Raichur
Koushalya D. Falanakar, Gumbaz Express, Vijayapura

10. R.L. Vasudevarao Award (Wildlife Report)
Nagaraj Navimane, Vijaya Karnataka, Mysuru
M. Narasimha Murthy, Kannada Prabha, Bengaluru South

11. B.G. Thimmappaiah Award (Economically Weaker Section Report)
12.
Rajesh Shetty Dota, Vijayavani, Mangaluru
Sharat Kumar S., Udayavani, Shivamogga

12. Mandibele Shamanna Memorial Award (Rural People’s Life Report)
Shankar Katte Malalawadi, Janamitra, Hunsur
Shivaraj Sunkada, Mudgal, Lingasugur, Raichur
Prashant Pade, Udayavani, Kundapura, Udupi

13. Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Memorial Award (Bengaluru Urban and Rural)
H.P. Praveen
Prashanth Rippanpet
V.S. Honnachar, Leaders Weekly
Zukriya, Times of Karnataka

14. Yajaman T. Narayanappa Memorial Award (Best Agricultural Report at District Level)

Venkatesh Gudeppanavara, Vijayavani, Mudhol, Bagalkot
Manjunath N., Bellary, Kavithal, Raichur

15. Nadigera Krishna Raya Award

Sathish Babu, Udayavani, Bengaluru
A. Akshara, Senior Journalist

16. Sunnuvanda Srinivas Changappa Award (Report on Soldiers)

A. Appaji Gowda, Mulbagal, Kolar

17. K.N. Subramanya Award (English Newspaper Report)
Apyan Yasmin, The Hindu
Vikar Ahmed, Frontline, Bengaluru

18. T.K. Malagonda Award (Investigative Report)

Sivananda Hiremath, Vijayavani, Gadag

Tiptur Krishna, Adityavani, Tiptur

19. Actor-Director Dwarakish Memorial Award (Film Category)

S. Jagadish Kumar, Cine Suddi

20. Abhimani Prakashan Award

Mahesh Hegde, Samyukta Karnataka, Sagar, Shivamogga

Ravindra Talagade, Vijaya Karnataka, Ballari

21. Best Page Designers
Sandesh, Pratinidhi, Mysuru

22. Best Desk Management
Vijayakumar, Vijayavani

23. Newsreel (Report with Photograph)
K.V. Balaram, Kikkeri, Mandya
M.R. Manjunath, Senior Photographer

24. Photography / Cameramen
Ganesh, Vijaya Karnataka
Babu Mia, Kalaburagi

25. Ganesh G. Award
M.P. Arun Kumar, City Highlights, Shivamogga
Mahantesh, Andolana, Mysuru

26. K. Prahladrao (Mandya) Award
K.S. Janardhanachari, E Sanje
Ramesh K., Kannada Prabha, Bangarapet, Kolar
K.V. Nagaraj, Prajavani, N.R. Pura, Chikkamagaluru

27. Garudanagiri Nagaraj Award
B. Shivarudrappa, Kannada Prabha, Holalkere, Chitradurga
Ramesh Kumar Naik, Vishwavani
Ramakrishna, Samyukta Karnataka, Mangaluru

28. Gurulingaswamy Holimath Award

Devaraja Kappasogi, Kannada Prabha, Chamarajanagar

Navyajyoti, Hosa Diganta

29. Prajapragati Award
Rabindra Talagade, Vijaya Karnataka, Ballari
Brahmananda Hadagali, Kannada Prabha, Belagavi

30. B.A. Nandikolumath Award
H.K. Nataraj, Udayavani, Davanagere
Ramachandraiah, Kunigal, Samajvani, Tumakur

Electronic Media (TV) Section:

Best Political Analysis

Prashanth Natu, Suvarna TV
Pramod, TV9

Best Anchor

Arun C. Badiger, Public TV
Kiran Kumar D.K.

Development / Social / Humanitarian Report

P.D. Veeranna, Chandana TV, Tumakuru
Thimme Gowda, News18, Bengaluru
Maruti Pavagada, Guarantee News
Raju B.R., News 1st, Koppal
Vithala Caravada, Republic Kannada, Davanagere
Mohanakrishna, Akashvani / Doordarshan, Hassan

KUWJ Special Awards:

Vijaya Biradar, Jamkhandi
Sridhara Uchila, Mumbai
Srikanth, Kasaragod
Sanjeevarao Kulkarni