Pune (PTI): A court in Pune in Maharashtra on Friday acquitted 20 people, including the leader of a right-wing Hindutva outfit, in the 2014 murder case of a youth named Mohsin Shaikh.

Information Technology professional Shaikh (28) was attacked and killed on June 2, 2014 in Hadapsar area by a mob incensed by morphed pictures of deities, and 20 persons, including Hindu Rashtra Sena leader Dhananjay Desai, were arrested.

Additional Sessions Judge SB Salunke acquitted 20 persons, including Desai, for want of evidence, the HRS leader's lawyer Milind Pawar said.

The defence successfully argued Desai was in jail in connection with another case when the murder took place, Pawar said.

He said Desai had no role in the killing or the riots that took place soon after.

The witnesses in the case narrated the entire incident but they failed to identify all the accused arrested in the case, Pawar added.
Desai was held some days after the murder and was released on bail in January, 2019.

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Bantwal, Apr 24: Madhava Prabhu, an 85-year-old resident of Wagga in Bantwal, exemplified unwavering commitment to his civic duty even in the face of illness.

Admitted to a private hospital here owing to his ailment, Prabhu, a former army officer and inspector of Malaria Eradication department, died without responding to treatment on Wednesday.

Amidst his illness, Prabhu was determined to exercise his right to vote, especially with the provision for home voting for those aged 85 and above.

With the doctor's permission, he left the hospital briefly to fulfil his sacred duty on Tuesday. However, fate had a cruel twist in store as Prabhu's condition worsened upon his return to the hospital.

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Tragically, he passed away today, leaving behind his wife, two daughters, and sons.

Prabhu's life epitomizes dedication and service, from his tenure in the army to his role in the Malaria Eradication Department and his involvement in community affairs as vice president of the Multi-Purpose Co-operative Society.

His commitment to duty and his final act of voting serve as a poignant reminder of the importance of civic engagement, even in the most challenging circumstances.

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