38 arrested for disrupting Christian religious event in Udupi
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Udupi: Police arrested 38 protesters on Friday evening for allegedly attempting to disrupt a religious programme despite security arrangements in place.
According to a complaint filed by Police Inspector Mahesh Prasad of Manipal Police Station, also holding additional charge of Udupi Town Police Station, a three-day event titled “Samadhana Mahotsava” was organised at the Udupi Christian PU College grounds from March 20 to 22 by the Fellowship of Udupi District Churches after obtaining permission.
The organisers had invited Christian preacher Mohan C Lazarus to the event. Anticipating protests from Hindu organisations, the organisers had secured protection orders from the Karnataka High Court, following which police deployed adequate security at the venue.
Police said that on March 20 around 5 pm, a group of 38 protesters led by Shrikant Shetty of Hindu Jagarana Vedike allegedly assembled unlawfully and marched from Govinda Kalyana Mantapa towards the venue, raising slogans.
The protesters claimed the event could involve religious conversion and attempted to proceed to the venue despite being informed by police about the High Court order and restrictions.
Police personnel detained and arrested all 38 individuals at the spot.
A case has been registered at Udupi Town Police Station under Section 189(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 112 of the Karnataka Police Act, and further investigation is underway.
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Kerala court sentences man to life imprisonment for murder of doctor at taluk hospital
Kollam (Kerala) (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.
The Kollam Additional District and Sessions Court 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, SPP Prathap G Padickal told reporters.
The detailed judgement is awaited.
The special public prosecutor said that he will recommend to the prosecution to file an appeal seeking enhancement of the life imprisonment to death penalty.
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He said that the prosecution had sought the maximum punishment for Sandeep, "but the court probably felt it was not a rarest-of-rare case" and that is why death penalty was not given.
The victim's father said that the verdict has come as a relief for the family, but he cannot authoritatively say whether his 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 a private 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.
