UP: Women block road in Kasaiganj to protest proposed liquor shop near residential area
Etah (UP) (PTI): Women in Uttar Pradesh’s Kasaiganj district on Wednesday took to the streets against the proposed opening of a country liquor shop in their locality, alleging that “it could lead to antisocial activities in the area”, police said.
The protest took place in the Gangeshwar Colony area along the Sarawati Shishu Mandir Road, where residents, particularly women, gathered in large numbers and raised slogans against the administration.
According to officials, the road blockade disrupted traffic for several hours.
Locals said they had been opposing the proposed liquor outlet as it is located between a residential neighbourhood and a route frequently used by children to go to school.
The women alleged that opening a liquor shop at the site would lead to an increase in anti-social activities and create an atmosphere of insecurity in the area.
They expressed concern over the safety of women and school-going girls, saying the route is used daily by residents and students, and opening a liquor shop would make it difficult for them to commute.
"The shop is being proposed on a road leading to a school, and it may adversely impact children," one of the protesters said.
"The agitation would continue until there is a clear assurance that the liquor shop licence is cancelled or the outlet is relocated," said another protester, Pallavi Bhardwaj.
The demonstrators asserted that they would not allow the liquor shop to open under any circumstances, calling it a matter of safety and the future of their children.
Upon receiving information about the protest, police personnel reached the spot and attempted to pacify the protesters.
Police Circle Officer Aanchal Chauhan said, "The matter is being examined, and a report will be sent to senior officials after taking into account the objections raised by locals for an appropriate decision."
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Karnataka MLA Vinay Kulkarni disqualified after conviction in Goudar murder case
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Saturday issued an official notification regarding the disqualification of Congress MLA Vinay Kulkarni following his conviction in the murder case of BJP leader Yogeshgouda Goudar.
The former minister is currently in prison, serving life imprisonment in the case.
“Consequent upon the conviction of Vinay Kulkarni, Member of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly representing the Dharwad constituency, by the LXXXI Additional City Civil & Sessions Judge, Bengaluru City (CCH-82), in Spl CC No. 565/2021, he stands disqualified from the membership of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from the date of conviction, i.e, April 15, 2026,” the notification read.
“He stands disqualified in terms of the provisions of Article 191(1)(e) of the Constitution of India, read with Section 8 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and such disqualification shall continue for a further period of six years after his release, unless the conviction is stayed by a competent court,” it added.
Hence, one seat in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly has fallen vacant, the notification said.
Bypolls were held on April 9 to fill two other seats in the 224-member Assembly that fell vacant due to the death of sitting MLAs. The results will be declared on May 4.
On April 15, Judge Santhosh Gajanan Bhat convicted Kulkarni and others under various IPC sections, including criminal conspiracy and murder. Subsequently, on April 17, the court sentenced Kulkarni and 15 others convicted in the case to life imprisonment.
The case pertains to the killing of Goudar, a BJP Zilla Panchayat member, in Dharwad on June 15, 2016. Kulkarni was a minister at that time. Hired assailants attacked and hacked Goudar to death in his gym at Saptapur in Dharwad.
Following demands from Goudar’s family and others, the then-BJP government transferred the case to the CBI in 2019.
The CBI filed a supplementary chargesheet in 2020, naming Vinay Kulkarni as the “main conspirator.” It alleged that he perceived Yogeshgouda Goudar as a growing political rival in Dharwad and hired contract killers to eliminate him.
Kulkarni was arrested by the CBI in 2020. He was granted bail by the Supreme Court in August 2021 under certain conditions, including a ban on entering Dharwad district. However, in June 2025, the apex court cancelled his bail following allegations of witness tampering and attempts to influence prosecution witnesses.
Kulkarni again sought bail in January 2026, but the High Court rejected it, citing judicial propriety.
However, the Supreme Court granted him bail on February 27 after noting that all witnesses had been examined.
