Surat: M’luru men marching to Delhi demanding stricter punishment for rapists, die in road accident
Surat: Two individuals from Mangaluru lost their lives and three others sustained injuries when a truck collided with their vehicle during a protest march demanding stricter action against rapists in the country. The incident occurred around 2 PM on Wednesday, approximately 200 km from Surat, Gujarat.
The deceased have been identified as Musa Shariff, a social activist from Charmadi in Dakshina Kannada, and Lingegowda. They were part of a group marching from Mangaluru to Delhi to urge immediate and stringent measures against sexual violence.
The group, comprising five members, had paused for a break and was resting in an Omni car parked on the roadside when a truck rammed into the vehicle. The collision left the car severely mangled and killed Shariff and Lingegowda on the spot. The truck driver fled the scene after the accident, and authorities are investigating the incident.
Musa Shariff was a prominent activist associated with the Karnataka Drivers Trade Union and the KRS party. Known for his dedication to social causes, Shariff had taken up the march to demand punishment for perpetrators of sexual crimes, citing the rising number of such incidents despite campaigns like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao.
The march, which also included participants Naufal Abbas, Praveen, and Hamza, aimed to reach New Delhi, where the group planned to meet the Prime Minister and submit a memorandum highlighting the need for urgent action against sexual violence.
Shariff, who is survived by his wife and three daughters, had been documenting the journey on YouTube, sharing updates under the series “55th Day of the Protest March.” Tragically, their final video was uploaded just hours before the accident.
PC: YouTube Screengrab
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China confirms its support to Pakistan during four-day conflict with India
Beijing (PTI): China, for the first time, has confirmed that it provided on-site technical support to Pakistan during the four-day conflict with India last year, official media reports here said.
China's state broadcaster CCTV on Thursday aired an interview with Zhang Heng, an engineer from the Aviation Industry Corporation of China's (AVIC) Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute, a key developer of China’s advanced fighter aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicle design.
Zhang had provided technical support to Pakistan during the four-day war last May, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported, quoting CCTV.
Pakistan's air force operates a fleet of Chinese-made J-10CE jets, produced by an AVIC subsidiary.
"At the support base, we frequently heard the roar of fighter jets taking off and the constant wail of air-raid sirens. By late morning, in May, the temperature was already approaching 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit). It was a real ordeal for us, both mentally and physically,” Zhang said.
What drove his team was the "desire to do an even better job with on site support” and to ensure their equipment could “truly perform at its full combat potential”, Zhang told CCTV.
“That wasn’t just a recognition of the J10CE; it was also a testament to the deep bond we formed through working side by side, day in and day out,” he said.
