SC to hear plea of Gandhian organisation against proposed demolition of its building in Varanasi
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear on July 10 a plea challenging the decision of the Varanasi district magistrate to order demolition of a building of the Sarva Sewa Sangh, a society which works to propagate Gandhian values.
A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice P S Narasimha took note of the submissions of lawyer Prashant Bhushan and observed that he can intimate the district magistrate about the apex court agreeing to hear the plea on Monday and there shall be no demolition of the structure in the meantime.
The Sarva Sewa Sangh was established in 1948 by Acharya Vinoba Bhave to propagate the ideas and philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi and now the building is sought to be demolished by the local administration, Bhushan said while seeking urgent hearing and an interim order to stop the proposed demolition of the structure.
"We will list it for hearing on Monday (July 10)," the CJI said.
Earlier, the organisation had moved the Allahabad High Court challenging a notice for demolition issued by the Northern Railways to demolish structures built on a 12.90-acre plot in Varanasi district.
The organisation said the land for its premises at Pargana Dehat' in Varanasi was purchased by it from the central government through "three registered sale deeds in 1960, 1961 and 1970".
The district magistrate, who was empowered by the high court to take a decision on the dispute between the organisation and the Northern Railways, issued a notice with regard to the demolition of the structure.
The district magistrate had on June 26 said the land belonged to Railways as per revenue records.
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Accused gunman at correspondents' dinner was believed to be targeting top officials, Blanche says
Washington (AP): The accused gunman who tried to storm the ballroom at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner with guns and knives travelled across the country before the event and is believed to have been targeting members of the Trump administration, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Sunday.
Blanche also said officials believe the suspect traveled by train from California to Chicago and then on to Washington, where in recent days he checked in as a guest to the hotel where one of Washington's glitziest events was being held Saturday night.
Investigators have not publicly named the suspect, but two law enforcement officials familiar with the matter have identified him to The Associated Press as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California.
Law enforcement officials who have examined the gunman's electronic devices and his writings preliminarily believe he intended to target administration members in attendance at the dinner. He attempted to charge into the cavernous ballroom at the Washington Hilton but was tackled to the ground in a chaotic scene that resulted in shots being fired, President Donald Trump being hurried off the stage and guests ducking for cover beneath their tables.
“It does appear that he did in fact set out to target folks who work in the administration, likely including the president,” Blanche told NBC's “Meet the Press.”
The suspect is believed to have purchased the firearms he carried within the last couple of years, Blanche said. He is not being cooperative and is expected to face multiple charges on Monday.
Video posted by Trump showed the suspect running past security barricades as Secret Service agents ran toward him. One officer was shot in a bullet-resistant vest but was recovering, officials said. The gunman was taken into custody and was not injured, but was being evaluated at a hospital, police said.
“He failed,” Blanche said on CBS's “Face the Nation.” “Law enforcement did their jobs.”
Social media posts that appear to match the suspect show he is a highly educated tutor and amateur video game developer.
A May 2025 profile photo of Allen appears to match the appearance of the man in a photo of the alleged attacker being taken into custody that was posted Saturday night by Trump. The photo, posted to the social networking site LinkedIn, shows him in a cap and gown after graduating with a master's degree in computer science from California State University, Dominguez Hills.
Allen earned a bachelor's degree in 2017 in mechanical engineering from the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. He listed his involvement there in a Christian student fellowship and a campus group that battled with Nerf guns.
The shooting at the security barricades happened minutes after the event got underway.
The Secret Service and other authorities swarmed the room as guests ducked under tables by the hundreds. Gasps echoed through the ballroom as guests realized something was happening. Hundreds of journalists immediately got on phones to call in information.
“Out of the way, sir!” someone yelled. Others yelled to duck. From one corner, a “God Bless America” chant began as the president was escorted offstage. Outside the hotel, members of the National Guard and other authorities flooded the area as helicopters circled overhead.
After an initial attempt to resume the event, it was scrapped for the night and will be rescheduled.
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