Mumbai: Protesters seek fresh probe into Loya death case
Mumbai: A group of over 30 people held a brief protest in south Mumbai, seeking a fresh probe into the alleged suspicious death of special CBI judge B H Loya in 2014. The protest was held near the Gateway of India on Thursday, the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
Around 36 protesters, who were wearing T-shirts with 'Who killed Judge Loya?' written on it, took part in the protest that lasted for about 15 minutes.
They also held a banner with the image of Mahatma Gandhi and 'Satyamev Jayate' written on it.
"Justice Loya died under suspicious circumstances. Our demand is that the death case must be properly investigated and the government should file a case. A court trial should be held," one of protesters later said.
"After the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government of NCP-Shiv Sena and Congress came to power, our hopes about a fresh probe into the case have brightened," he said.
When asked, police said that they had not been informed about the protest and no permission had been granted for it.
Loya, who was hearing the high-profile Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case of Gujarat, had died of cardiac arrest in Nagpur on December 1, 2014, when he had gone to attend the wedding of a colleague's daughter.
Earlier this month, a Maharashtra minister had said that the state government would consider investigation into the alleged suspicious death of Justice Loya if it gets any complaint with 'substantial evidence'.
The Supreme Court had held that Loya had died of "natural causes", and had rejected PILs seeking an SIT probe into the death.
The SC had held that petitions were moved by political rivals to settle scores which was a serious attempt to scandalise the judiciary and obstruct the course of justice through a "frontal attack" on its independence.
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Road crash in UP leaves 10 dead
Lakhimpur Kheri (UP) (PTI): Ten people were killed when a van collided head-on with a truck on the Sisaiya-Lakhimpur national highway on Monday, police said.
The van was going to Sisaiya from Lakhimpur when the accident took place between Unchgaon and Bharehta villages.
Circle Officer of Dhaurahra, Shamsher Bahadur Singh, said all nine passengers travelling in the van and the driver were killed.
District Magistrate of Lakhimpur Kheri Anjani Kumar Singh told reporters that the van collided with a truck coming from the opposite direction, leading to nine casualties on the spot, while one succumbed to injuries at the district hospital.
Circle Officer, Dhaurahra, Shamsher Bahadur Singh told PTI, "Efforts are on to establish the identity of other deceased persons."
The seven of the deceased have been identified as Jaideep Singh (25), Pawan (23), Sohan (21), Ram Goyal (42), Sahajram (35), Pappu (18), all residents of Bahraich district and Adnan Khan (15), a resident of Lakhimpur Kheri district, police said.
Condoling the loss of lives in the accident, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in a post on X, said, "The loss of life in the unfortunate road accident in Lakhimpur Kheri district is deeply distressing and heart-wrenching. My condolences are with the bereaved families."
"I have directed the local administration to provide prompt and adequate assistance to the injured and the victims. I pray to Lord Shri Ram to grant the departed souls a place at His divine feet and to bestow a speedy recovery upon the injured," Adityanath said on X.
Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak too condoled the loss of lives in the accident.
"The loss of lives resulting from the road accident in Lakhimpur Kheri district is deeply tragic and heart-wrenching. My deepest condolences go out to the bereaved families," Maurya said.
