Car crash: No relief for Pune teen driver, his observation home remand extended till June 25
Pune, Jun 12: The Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) here on Wednesday extended till June 25 the observation home remand of a 17-year-old boy allegedly involved in a car crash that killed two IT engineers in Pune last month.
The Pune police through prosecutors sought the extension of the juvenile's custody for another 14 days at the observation home citing his safety. He was in the observation home remand till June 12.
They also told the board that the teen's release at the current juncture may hinder the ongoing investigation into the case and other related matters, including alleged swapping of his blood samples taken after the May 19 accident.
The defence opposed the Pune police's remand extension plea and told the board the minor must be released from the observation facility.
After hearing arguments of both sides, the JJB extended the boy's stay at the observation home till June 25.
The Porsche car driven by the teenager, son of builder Vishal Agrawal, crashed into a motorbike in the early hours of May 19, killing IT professionals Anish Awadhiya and Ashwini Koshta, both hailing from Madhya Pradesh, in Kalyani Nagar. The teen was driving under the influence of alcohol, according to police.
The boy's parents are in police custody in connection with a case related to alleged swapping of his blood samples at the state-run Sassoon General Hospital.
Besides the minor's parents, the police have also arrested his grandfather Surendra Agarwal for allegedly kidnapping the family's driver and putting pressure on him to take the blame for the accident, among other charges.
The other persons arrested in the case are two doctors and an employee of Sassoon General Hospital for allegedly swapping the blood samples of the minor boy with those of his mother's.
The police have registered three separate cases in connection with the accident. The cases include an FIR in connection with the accident and the second one against the pub that allegedly served liquor to the juvenile.
The police have booked the boy's father for allowing him to drive the car without a valid license.
A third case is about wrongful confinement and coercion of the family driver to take the blame for the fatal accident.
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Women journalists face doubling of online abuse since 2020, AI intensifies harassment: report
New Delhi: Incidents of online violence against women journalists have doubled since 2020, with growing use of artificial intelligence intensifying the scale and impact of abuse, according to a new report released ahead of World Press Freedom Day.
The study is titled “Tipping point: Online violence impacts, manifestations and redress in the AI age.” It is published by UN Women and its partners and highlights how digital harassment has become more invasive and technologically sophisticated.
The study is based on a 2025 global survey covering 641 respondents across 119 countries. The report found that women journalists and media workers are increasingly resorting to self-censorship due to online abuse. Around 45 per cent said they avoid expressing themselves on social media, which is a sharp rise from 2020. Nearly 22 per cent reported limiting their professional work for similar reasons.
The findings also indicate that 12 per cent of respondents have experienced non-consensual sharing of personal images, including intimate content, and six per cent reported being targeted by AI-generated “deepfakes.” One in three said they had received unsolicited sexual advances online.
The report highlights the psychological toll of such harassment, noting that nearly a quarter of women journalists surveyed had been diagnosed with anxiety or depression, while about 13 per cent reported post-traumatic stress disorder.
An environmental journalist from India, quoted in the report, described how coordinated online attacks and misinformation campaigns had led to fear and withdrawal from investigative reporting, and the repercussions extending to family members.
However, as the abuse has increased, so too has the number of women journalists reporting such incidents. The percentage of women journalists approaching law enforcement agencies has doubled from 11 per cent to 22 per cent in 2025 compared with 2020. The report also shows an increase in legal action against perpetrators, technology platforms, and employers.
However, the report points to significant gaps in legal protection. It presents data that fewer than 40 per cent of countries have laws addressing cyber harassment or stalking. Kalliopi Mingerou, who leads efforts to end violence against women at UN Women, said emerging technologies are amplifying existing threats. “AI is making abuse easier and more damaging,” she said, warning that the trend risks undermining democratic participation and hard-won rights.
The report can be accessed at https://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2026/04/tipping-point-online-violence-impacts-manifestations-and-redress-in-the-ai-age
