22-year-old priest arrested for killing friend with chopper in New Delhi
New Delhi: A 22-year-old priest was arrested recently in New Delhi for allegedly murdering his friend, after he was reportedly verbally abused and slapped by the latter.
The accused was identified as Kartik and the deceased as Devdas (55). Kartik, has been working as a priest at a temple in Palam’s Raj Nagar for the past three years, according to DCP (Southwest) Surendra Choudhary, as quoted by The Indian Express on Sunday.
The two had been friends for the past year and a half, and Kartik was also acquainted with Rama Devi (54) who was Devdas’s companion. Devdas lived on the second floor of a building he owned in Raj Nagar, part of which he had rented out.
On the night of October 21, Devdas invited Kartik to his home for drinks while Rama was visiting her hometown in Andhra Pradesh. After consuming a few drinks, Devdas allegedly began hurling insults at Kartik.
“Angered by this, Kartik took a chopper, which Devdas used to keep under his pillow, and killed him with it,” the DCP stated, adding that the accused claimed Devdas had slapped him two to three times earlier as well.
Police said Kartik stashed the body in a gunny bag and returned home to change his clothes. He then came back and slept at Devdas’s house. An officer told the news outlet that Kartik continued to visit the flat daily until October 27 to turn on the water motor. The tenants living on the top floor did not suspect anything, as this was a task that had been Devdas’s responsibility.
On October 30, Devdas’s sister-in-law, Asha, made a PCR call reporting a foul smell emanating from his apartment and said that the family had not seen him for a week.
The DCP stated that upon reaching Devdas’s residence, one room was found locked. The fire brigade broke the lock, and a gunny bag containing Devdas’s decomposed body was found.
Devdas’s nephew Vijay Sharma told the publication that while Devdas never fought with anyone, he would get angry easily. He relied on the rent he received each month as his source of livelihood. Vijay added that Rama had been living with Devdas for the past 15 years.
Police said Kartik, who went missing on October 27, was traced to his village in Uttar Pradesh’s Etah. A raid was conducted and he was arrested.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
