Thane woman's body found in suitcase: Live-in partner held
Thane (PTI): Police have arrested the live-in partner of a woman for murdering her after her body was found stuffed in a suitcase on the banks of a creek in Maharashtra's Thane district, officials said on Wednesday.
The accused allegedly killed the woman on November 21 following a fight and dumped the body near the creek the next day, they said.
The body of Priyanka Vishwakarma (22) was spotted under the creek bridge near Desai village on Monday. The words 'P V S' were found tattooed near the wrist of the deceased, a police release said.
The police suspected that the body was stuffed in the suitcase for disposal at the creek and registered a case of murder.
Based on information gathered from social media and CCTV footage of the area, the police apprehended Vinod Srinivas Vishwakarma (50) from Desai village.
During interrogation, the man confessed that he committed the murder, the official said.
The victim had been living with the accused for the last five years. They fought on the night of November 21, following which the accused allegedly strangled her to death.
He kept the body in their house for one day, but as it started decomposing and the stench spread over the place, he stuffed the body in a suitcase, took it on foot near the creek and threw it off the bridge on the night of November 22, the official said.
The police arrested the accused on Tuesday and booked him on charges of murder and causing disappearance of the evidence of offence, he added.
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Congress committed to social justice, says Karnataka CM; hits out at JD(S), BJP
BJP Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday asserted that the Congress remains firmly committed to social justice, both in principle and practice.
"The Congress is a party committed to social justice. This ideological commitment has been demonstrated not merely through words but through action," the CM said in a statement, underlining that the party has consistently translated its philosophy into governance.
He said his recent article marking Social Justice Day has sparked debate.
Defending the piece, he said: "An article I wrote for a newspaper as part of Social Justice Day celebrations has sparked multifaceted debate in the state’s political circles. If water remains stagnant, it turns into slush; if it flows, it becomes clearer."
"The social system is similar—if it does not remain rigid and instead becomes dynamic, it transforms in a people-centric manner. From this perspective, I welcome the discussion surrounding my article," he added.
Stating that his commitment to social justice is longstanding, the CM said, "Whether in power or out of it, my stand in favour of social justice has remained unwavering. I have greater clarity about the caste system among us than the politicians criticising me."
"I am prepared for a public debate on this issue," Siddaramaiah added.
Responding to criticism from Union Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader H D Kumaraswamy, he said, "I have taken his allegation—that I have ‘dragged caste into the picture for the sake of a chair’—lightly."
Launching a sharp attack on JD(S) patriarch and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and his family, Siddaramaiah added, "Kumaraswamy and his revered father Deve Gowda are certainly not casteists; they are against their own caste. More importantly, they are family-centric. For them, caste is merely a vote bank."
He alleged that past, present, and future top JD(S) leaders would always be members of the Gowda family, questioning how many Vokkaliga leaders the party had nurtured during Deve Gowda’s long political career.
The CM maintained that it was the Congress that had identified and politically groomed Vokkaliga leaders.
"From Kengal Hanumanthaiah to S M Krishna, hundreds of Vokkaliga leaders have been nurtured. If Kengal Hanumanthaiah, Kadidal Manjappa, and S M Krishna became chief ministers, it was because of the Congress," he said, adding that several prominent Vokkaliga leaders are currently in the party.
"If one day anyone other than a member of Deve Gowda’s family becomes chief minister, it will be through the Congress," he noted.
Highlighting inclusivity, Siddaramaiah said the Congress has enabled leaders from Vokkaliga, Lingayat, and backward communities to become chief ministers in Karnataka, and expressed gratitude to party leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi for giving him a second term.
He added that leaders from the Dalit community who rise to the CM's post do so on merit, not merely caste. "I can confidently say that if someone from the Dalit community becomes chief minister in the future, it will be possible only through the Congress,” he reiterated.
He questioned whether the JD(S) or the BJP in the state is capable of fostering such aspirations. "This is the difference between the Congress, the BJP and JD(S). Therefore, I urge those accusing me of practising caste politics to introspect," the CM said.
