Bahraich court sentences main accused in 2024 violence to death, nine others get life terms
Bahraich: A court in Bahraich awarded the death penalty to Sarfaraz, the prime accused in the October 2024 violence that erupted during a Durga Puja idol immersion procession, while nine others were sentenced to life imprisonment and three men were acquitted for lack of evidence on Thursday .
The clashes broke out after the shooting of Ram Gopal Mishra, a young resident who was killed when he allegedly attempted to replace a flag on a house belonging to a member of the minority community. Additional Sessions Judge Pawan Kumar Sharma, delivering the verdict, said the assault was premeditated and intended to create fear and assert dominance. The court described the murder as a deep and lasting blow to Mishra’s family, noting that he had been married only four months earlier.
Special DGC Criminal Pramod Kumar Singh said the prosecution presented eight witnesses and relied on ballistic analysis to establish that Sarfaraz fired the fatal shots. He said the court viewed the killing as a case that met the threshold of the “rarest of rare”, requiring the maximum punishment to uphold justice and reflect society’s conscience.
The prosecution recalled the extent of the violence, noting that Mishra had several gunshot wounds, blunt-force injuries, and evidence of torture. With riots, arson, damage to public property, and the suspension of internet services, the incident triggered unrest in Bahraich. Many police officers were suspended from duty for failing to handle the situation.
Those sentenced to life imprisonment are Abdul Hameed, Faheem, Saif Ali, Javed Khan, Zeeshan alias Raja, Nankau, Maruf Ali, Shoaib Khan and Talib alias Sablu. The court observed that some among them were young and appeared to have acted without provocation, leaving open the possibility of reform.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Sudha Murty moves resolution to guarantee free care for children of 3-6 years
New Delhi (PTI): Rajya Sabha nominated MP Sudha Murty on Friday urged the government to take steps to guarantee free and compulsory care and education for children in the age group of 3 to 6.
The private member resolution moved by Murty said the government may consider amending the Constitution to introduce a new article Article 21B in this regard.
Moving the resolution, she said: "Children are our future. They are the rising Sun. Their early education should benefit their life. Hence I request through you sir to our government to consider amending our Constitution to give fundamental right to education from 6 to 14 years to 3 to 14 years."
ALSO READ: PM Modi unhappy with Telangana BJP MPs, says party falling behind Owaisi
Murty said several parents who are not well-off are not even aware of the importance of Anganwadi education.
The government, the resolution said, needs to "work towards universal access to quality Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) through strengthening Anganwadi services, or through any other mechanism the government may deem appropriate, to ensure that all children receive equitable and holistic early childhood support."
The resolution also urged the government to take suitable measures to enhance delivery, training and support systems related to early childhood services, recognising their role in securing strong foundations for lifelong learning and development.
