Will put pressure for restoration of J-K's statehood: Rahul Gandhi
Surankote (J-K) (PTI): Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said on Monday that the Congress would put pressure on the Centre if it failed to restore Jammu and Kashmir's statehood after completion of the assembly elections.
He also claimed that the INDIA bloc had "broken the psychology" of Prime Minister Narendra after the Lok Sabha elections.
"This was the first time that a state was turned into a Union Territory in the country's history… Your democratic right was snatched. We have given priority to the demand for restoration of statehood," Gandhi said.
Speaking at an election rally in support of Congress-National Conference alliance candidates in the Surankote area of Poonch district, he further said, "If they fail to restore statehood after the elections, we will put pressure on them to ensure that your statehood is restored."
Gandhi alleged that Jammu and Kashmir was being ruled by Delhi and decisions were made by non-locals.
The Congress leader also accused the RSS-BJP of spreading hatred to divide people in the name of religion, caste, creed and region, and claimed the Congress had opened "shops of love in the markets of hate" to counter them.
The three-phase polls for the 90-member Jammu and Kashmir Assembly are currently underway. Voting for the second and third phases to be held on Wednesday and October 1, respectively.
The results will be declared on October 8.
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Bengaluru woman murder: Karnataka Home Minister Parameshwara vows to nab culprits soon
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Monday vowed to apprehend those responsible for the gruesome murder of a 29-year-old woman here, as soon as possible.
Mahalakshmi's body was found chopped into over 50 pieces and stuffed into a refrigerator in her flat at Vyalikaval in the city.
Addressing reporters, Parameshwara said, "Aready some information has been collected, which I cannot reveal now, but we will soon nab those involved in it."
"... an individual -- they say is the one (involved), but unless we have more information, we can't really confirm. He is from West Bengal, they say. As early as possible we will secure (those involved)."
The maggot-infested body of Mahalakshmi was discovered by her mother and elder sister at her home on Saturday.
Responding to a question about reports that one person was already taken into custody in connection with the case, the Home Minister said, "police bring in suspects and inquire them. If somebody confesses (to the crime), then they will be taken into custody."
The deceased woman's estranged husband has expressed suspicion about a man known to her.
To another query on women's safety, the Minister said already a lot of precautions and measures are being taken for the safety of women in Bengaluru.
"In fact the Nirbhaya programme is implemented, and we are doing several things... definitely we are very careful about it and we take a lot of precautions. We have installed CCTVs at the place where a lot of women visit.
We have taken steps, but still we don't know how to term these (incidents), whether we call it domestic or whether we call it something else. We have already alerted all the police stations to be extra careful about women safety....we need to put more effort on this, and we will do it," he said.
Meanwhile, Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda said the suspect has been identified and he is an outsider.
“So far as Vyalikaval case (Mahalakshmi murder case) is concerned, we are investigating from all the angles. The prime suspect who is likely to have committed this ghastly offence is identified. The only thing is we are yet to apprehend him. As and when the person is caught and the interrogation is done, then we will be able to provide further details,” Dayananda told media here.
According to police sources, several investigation teams have been formed to trace the culprits. Some teams have fanned out to various parts of India to arrest those involved in the crime.
The victim’s family demanded justice for her.
“The owner of the building informed me that there was foul smell coming from the house. When I came and opened the door I saw the body of Mahalakshmi cut into pieces. I saw her for the last time on Rakshabandhana festival. Since then her phone was switched off,” Mahalakshmi's mother Meena Rana told reporters.
Seeking punishment for the accused, the victim's elder sister said, “Who cuts a woman into pieces like this? I saw her a year ago. Now I saw her in pieces.”
