Pune, Apr 29: A special court here Monday rejected the temporary bail application of activist and poet P Varavara Rao who is currently lodged in a prison here.

Rao wanted temporary bail to visit his hometown to perform post-death rituals of his sister-in-law who died on April 22.

However, the prosecution, objecting to the temporary bail to Rao, cited a letter to Pune's Joint Commissioner of Police by Hyderabad Superintendent of Police (Special Intelligence Branch) which stated, "Considering seriousness of the crime, there is a possibility that accused may abscond if he is allowed to attend the last rites of his relative".

"Moreover, there is a possibility of a serious attack on the police party, who will be deputed for an escort, by Naxals," the letter added.

The prosecution also informed the court that the letter stated that as per Hindu traditions and customs, there is no established procedure and norms to attend "pedda karma" (10th-day ritual) by the brother-in-law of a deceased who is survived by her children.

After hearing the arguments and going through the written submissions from the prosecution, judge Vadane Monday rejected the temporary bail application.

Rao was first arrested on August 28 last year in connection with the Elgar Parishad case along with activists Sudha Bhardwaj, Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves and Gautam Navalakha.

However, the Supreme Court later asked the police to place them under house arrest.

On November 17, Rao was re-arrested by Pune police.

The prosecution, in its submission, said the accused is an active member of the proscribed CPI (Maoist) and along with other accused, was involved in unlawful and terrorist activities, and that investigation so far had revealed that he was involved in raising and distributing funds to smuggle arms and ammunition.

"There is ample of evidence against the accused and the charge sheet too has been filed and therefore it is not desirable to release the accused on temporary bail," according to the prosecution.

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Hubballi (Karnataka), Apr 18: The daughter of a Congress Corporator was stabbed to death by her acquaintance inside BVB college campus here on Thursday after she allegedly rejected his proposal, police said.

The deceased Neha (23), the daughter of Niranjan Hiremath, was a first-year MCA student, they said.

The accused 23-year-old Fayaz, an MCA dropout, has been arrested in connection with the incident, police said, adding that both of them were batchmates during their BCA course.

The entire incident was caught on CCTV camera.

According to the police, Fayaz went inside the college campus with a knife and stabbed Neha five-six times. During the attack, he too sustained injuries and was shifted to the hospital along with the victim. At the hospital, Neha was declared brought dead.

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"During interrogation, he (Fayaz) claimed that the two of them had been in a relationship and that she had suddenly started avoiding him. It needs to be corroborated and verified, but he was arrested immediately," a senior police officer said.

A case of murder has been registered, police said, adding that further investigation is underway.

Narrating about the incident, Neha's father Hiremath said that his daughter had classes from 8 am. At around 4.30 pm, when she stepped out after completing her classes, this person approached towards her and stabbed her nearly six times inside the college campus and she died on the spot.

"He (the accused) was an old student and he had proposed my daughter but she rejected his proposal. She did not like him and she usually stayed away from all this...She refused him saying they both belonged to different caste and that she did not wish to have any relationship with him. Out of anger, he stabbed my daughter," he told PTI videos.

Demanding justice for her daughter, he said that the accused should he hanged to death only then will his daughter's soul rest in peace.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah condemned the incident and offered condolences to the family of the deceased.

"An accused has already been arrested in connection with the incident and I have instructed the Director General of Police to conduct a strict investigation and take action to ensure maximum punishment for the accused," he said in a post on 'X'.

He also appealed to people to not take law into their hands.

"In connection with the incident, no one should get agitated and take law into their hands or attempt to disturb peace of the society. It is our duty to get justice for the death of the young woman, in this regard the police department will work hard," he added.

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