World Cup final pitch invader remanded in 1-day police custody
Ahmedabad, Nov 20: An Australian arrested for invading the pitch during Sunday's World Cup cricket final between India and Australia wearing a pro-Palestine T-shirt was on Monday remanded in one-day police custody by a Gandhinagar court, an official said.
Wen Johnson (24) had intruded into the pitch at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium just before the drinks break in the final at around 3pm, but was immediately apprehended by security personnel as he approached batter Virat Kohli.
He was then arrested by Chandkheda police on charges of criminal trespass (section 447) and causing hurt to deter public servants from doing their duty (section 332).
The city police commissioner transferred the case from Chandkheda police to Crime Branch, which presented Johnson in a court in Gandhinagar to seek his remand for further probe.
Advocate VS Vaghela, appearing for Johnson, told reporters his client was remanded in police custody till 5pm on Tuesday though the Crime Branch had sought 10-day custody on various grounds.
As per the FIR, Johnson, who entered the stadium as a spectator, first jumped the railing and then ran towards the pitch after pushing aside on-duty policemen in his desperate attempt to hug Kohli.
When asked why he did that, Johnson told cops he was a big fan of Kohli, the FIR said, adding as many as 15 policemen were guarding 'Point number R-88' of the stadium from where he jumped the fence.
Johnson wore a face mask bearing the design of the Palestine flag and a T-shirt with 'Stop bombing Palestine' and 'Save Palestine' slogans written on the front and back sides.
The ICC doesn't allow any political sloganeering during events organised by the global governing body of cricket and no act is allowed in India.
A preliminary probe has revealed Johnson is a habitual offender and was booked in his country for invading sports fields in the past, police inspector Viraj Jadeja said on Sunday.
"Johnson told us he is a fan of Virat Kohli and wanted to meet him during the match. He wore the pro-Palestine T-shirt just for the sake of it. Otherwise, his main aim was to meet Kohli," the police officer had said.
In some videos and photos he has shared on his Instagram handle 'pyjamamann', Johnson can be seen invading fields during football games and being taken away by security personnel.
According to a Crime Branch release issued on Monday, Johnson had invaded the field during FIFA Women's World Cup football match this year wearing a 'Free Ukraine' T-shirt.
Similarly, he went into the field during a 'State of Origin III' rugby match in Brisbane in Australia in 2020.
"Johnson is in the habit of associating himself with any current international issue and invading fields just to get publicity to become famous as a TikToker," the release said.
"A probe has revealed his father is of Chinese origin while his mother is from The Philippines. He lives in Sydney and works with a solar panel firm," said the release.
It was revealed that Johnson had put on the blue jersey of the Indian team over the T-shirt that had the pro-Palestine slogans. He then removed the jersey before running towards Kohli.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Kerala court sentences man to life imprisonment for doc's murder in hospital
_vb_42.jpeg)
Kollam (PTI): A teacher convicted in the sensational murder of Dr Vandana Das inside a hospital here was sentenced to life term on Saturday, and the prosecution said it will move an appeal seeking death penalty for the accused. The victim's family also batted for "maximum punishment".
Dr Das was brutally killed inside a taluk hospital in May 2023 by G Sandeep.
Kollam Additional District and Sessions judge P N Vinod sentenced Sandeep to a total of 30 years for various offences under the then Indian Penal Code (IPC) and said that after he serves that period, his life imprisonment for Das' murder will commence.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs 2.35 lakh on the convict.
Though the prosecution had sought death penalty for the accused during the arguments on sentence, the court was of the view that the case does not fall under the rarest-of-rare category to warrant the maximum punishment.
It was also of the view that there was a chance of the convict getting reformed as he told the court that the rest of his life would be one of repentance, the order on sentence said.
"At the same time, I agree with the stand of the prosecution to the effect that the sentence should commensurate with the gravity of the crime and the sentence should not only be reformative, but should also have a deterrent effect."
"In my view, the said objective can be achieved by directing that the term sentences that will be imposed will run consecutively and life sentence that has to be imposed will commence only after the expiration of terms sentences," the judge said.
After the verdict, special public prosecutor (SPP) Prathap G Padickal told reporters outside the court that he will recommend to the prosecution to file an appeal seeking enhancement of the life imprisonment to death penalty.
The victim's father said that the verdict has come as a relief for the family, but that he cannot authoritatively say whether his late daughter has got justice. He indicated his dissatisfaction with the punishment, saying that steps will be taken to seek its enhancement after discussions with the public prosecutor.
Dr Das' mother said that the family can only wish for the maximum punishment and it was up to the court to decide what sentence should be given. She said that the family will go in appeal, but declined to comment on whether her daughter got justice.
She tearfully said that she wants the convict to suffer the same pain that her daughter underwent "as he stabbed her 27 times".
The court on March 17 had convicted Sandeep for various offences under the IPC, including murder, destruction of evidence and wrongful restraint.
It had also held him guilty under the provisions of the Kerala Healthcare Service Persons and Healthcare Service Institutions (Prevention of violence and damage to property) Act 2012.
Sandeep was brought to the taluk hospital by the police for medical treatment during the small hours of May 10, 2023 and he went on a sudden attacking spree using a pair of surgical scissors kept in the room where his leg injury was being dressed.
A school teacher by profession, he had initially attacked the police officers and another person who had accompanied him to the hospital and then turned on the young Dr Das, who could not escape to safety.
She was stabbed several times and later succumbed to her injuries in a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram where she was rushed following the attack.
Dr Das was a native of the Kaduthuruthy area of Kottayam district and the only child of her parents.
She was a house surgeon at Azeezia Medical College Hospital and was working at the Kottarakkara taluk hospital as part of her training.
Sandeep had called the emergency number 112, claiming that his life was in danger. When local police located him, he was standing close by his home, surrounded by local residents and his relatives, and had a wound on his leg following an alleged quarrel.
He was then taken to the hospital for dressing the wound.
_vb_97.jpeg)
_vb_62.jpeg)