1st T20 International between India and SA abandoned due to rain
Dharamsala, Sep 15: The first T20 international between India and South Africa was abandoned on Sunday, without a ball being bowled due to heavy downpour that left a near capacity crowd disappointed.
While there was prediction of a sharp drizzle in the afternoon, the weather forecast was all clear for the evening but heavens opened up multiple times, putting paid to hopes of even having a five-over per side encounter.
A spell of thunder showers happened in the afternoon and by 5:30 pm it seemed that the rain had subsided with the spectators thronging into the stadium.
Just when the ground staff at the HPCA Stadium were working in full force, a second spell completely spoilt the evening as it was clear that even the shortest possible game cannot be conducted in such circumstances with multiple puddles created at the outfield.
The worst sufferer was certainly the common fans, who had come from all the nearby districts as well as from Chandigarh and Delhi to watch the match.
With most of the stands not having any overhead cover, the spectators were seen pulling off the in-stadia hoardings which worked as temporary "umbrellas" to save themselves from getting drenched.
Nowadays, all the matches under the aegis of BCCI are covered under insurance policy and HPCA will not stand to lose any money.
Since the toss was also not held, the viewing public will get a refund of their tickets.
The second T20 International will be played at Mohali on Wednesday while the third and final game will be held in Bengaluru on September 22.
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Broken relationships don't automatically amount to abetment of suicide: SC
New Delhi (PTI): Broken relationships, while emotionally distressing, do not automatically amount to abetment of suicide in the absence of intention leading to the criminal offence, the Supreme Court on Friday said.
The observations came from a bench of Justices Pankaj Mithal and Ujjal Bhuyan in a judgement, which overturned the conviction of one Kamaruddin Dastagir Sanadi by the Karnataka High Court for the offences of cheating and abetment of suicide under the IPC.
"This is a case of a broken relationship, not criminal conduct," the judgment said.
Sanadi was initially charged under Sections 417 (cheating), 306 (abetment of suicide), and 376 (rape) of the IPC.
While the trial court acquitted him of all the charges, the Karnataka High Court, on the state's appeal, convicted him of cheating and abetment of suicide, sentencing him to five years imprisonment and imposing Rs 25,000 in fine.
According to the FIR registered at the mother's instance, her 21-year-old daughter was in love with the accused for the past eight years and died by suicide in August, 2007, after he refused to keep his promise to marry.
Writing a 17-page judgement, Justice Mithal analysed the two dying declarations of the woman and noted that neither was there any allegation of a physical relationship between the couple nor there was any intentional act leading to the suicide.
The judgement therefore underlined broken relationships were emotionally distressing, but did not automatically amount to criminal offences.
"Even in cases where the victim dies by suicide, which may be as a result of cruelty meted out to her, the courts have always held that discord and differences in domestic life are quite common in society and that the commission of such an offence largely depends upon the mental state of the victim," said the apex court.
The court further said, "Surely, until and unless some guilty intention on the part of the accused is established, it is ordinarily not possible to convict him for an offence under Section 306 IPC.”
The judgement said there was no evidence to suggest that the man instigated or provoked the woman to die by suicide and underscored a mere refusal to marry, even after a long relationship, did not constitute abetment.
