Nagpur violence: 38-year-old man succumbs to injuries sustained during mob attack
Nagpur: The violence that erupted in Nagpur on March 17 claimed its first victim on Saturday, as 38-year-old Irfan Ansari died from injuries sustained during a mob attack.
Ansari passed away on Saturday afternoon, five days after being attacked. His death was confirmed by Dr Sagar Pandey, Deputy Medical Superintendent at Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital, as reported by The Indian Express.
A welder by profession, Ansari had left home around 11:00 PM on March 17 to catch a train to Itarsi in Madhya Pradesh. Due to the violence, the autorickshaw he had hired could not complete the journey and dropped him off at Central Avenue. As he continued his journey on foot, he was attacked by a mob and suffered severe head injuries.
His brother, Imran Ansari, shared details of the incident with the newspaper, adding that Irfan briefly regained consciousness in the intensive care unit and recounted his ordeal.
Irfan, who frequently travelled to Itarsi for work, had been brought to the hospital by police. Later, his family was notified by the hospital about Ansari’s injuries.
Meanwhile, the family has demanded strict action against those responsible for Irfan's death. Irfan is survived by his wife and daughter.
So far, the police have arrested 92 persons, and taken 12 minors in custody, in connection to the clash.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated that the cost of damage to property during the violence in Nagpur will be recovered from the rioters. He asserted that if the rioters fail to pay, their properties will be sold. Fadnavis also mentioned that those who incited violence via social media would be treated as co-accused.
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
